Pathological Basis of Human Disease

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Pathological Basis of Human Disease Course
Guide     General information This course was
introduced in 1999. It runs for 13 weeks in
Semester 2. It consists of up to 12 hours
scheduled teaching/learning time per week. An
outline timetable of the course is given below
but the detailed timetable is also accessible. It
is 12 credit points and can be counted towards a
major.
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Academic staff First Point of Contact please
direct any enquiries to Lorraine McClinchie in
the first instance cpat3101_at_pathology.usyd.edu.
au A/Professor Nick King is the Course Convenor.
Subject-specific enquiries should be made of the
individual mentor in charge of that section.
These are Assoc Prof Brett Hambly Cancer
Cardiovascular Prof Nick Hunt -
Inflammation Assoc Prof Nick King - Immunology
Respiratory diseases Dr Roger Pamphlett Assoc
Prof Izuru Matsumoto - CNS Dr Bob Bao - Endocrine
diseases Gut disorders.
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Administrative Staff Any issues to do with the
Museum should be raised with the Museum Curator,
Dr Murat Kekic. In all cases, email is a very
effective method of communication since academic
staff may be busy with other duties and therefore
not available without a prior arrangement being
made.
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Recommended textbook Kumar, Cotran Robbins.
"Basic Pathology." 7th Edition. WB Saunders.
(Note new edition may be out soon)
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• Aims of the course
• To give students an overall understanding of the
  fundamental biological mechanisms governing
  disease pathogenesis in human beings
• To introduce to students basic concepts of the
  pathogenesis, natural history and complications
  of common human diseases.
• To demonstrate and exemplify differences between
  normality and disease. 
• To aid students to apply basic concepts of
  disease processes to their understanding of how
  different organ systems react to injury. 
• To explain cellular aspects of certain
  pathological processes. 
• To equip students with skills appropriate for
  careers in the biomedical sciences and for
  further training in research or professional
  degrees.

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Eligibility The course is open to students of the
University of Sydney who have completed the
appropriate qualifying Units of Study in the 2nd
Year of the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of
Medical Science degrees, or those who have an
equivalent qualification from another
institution.
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• Practical competencies
• At the end of the course students will
• Have acquired practical skills in the use of a
  light microscope
• Have an understanding of basic investigative
  techniques for disease detection in pathology.
• Be able to evaluate diseased tissue at the
  macroscopic and microscopic level.
• Have the ability to describe and present
  information on disease pathogenesis in written
  and verbal form. 
• Transfer problem-solving skills to novel
  situations related to disease pathogenesis.
•  

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Basic Timetable Note Varies from week to week -
see the full timetable. The types of activities
and the locations may vary. Some timetable
clashes with other subjects will occur. Note
there is some flexibility with respect to the
following Weekly Museum session (Groups MUS1,
MUS2, MUS3 and MUS4) Choice of times 1 to 3pm or
3 to 5pm on either Tuesday or Friday may be
possible, depending on clashes Weekly Microscope
session (Groups MIC1, MIC2 - Rm 559) Choice of
times 1 to 3pm or 3 to 5pm on Tuesday may be
possible, depending on clashes. Research Project
Research manuscript or Clinical Pathogenesis
Project (usually 2 tutorials, to be arranged)
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Lectures Tuesday 11.00a.m. Physics Slade
Lecture Theatre Thursday 9.00a.m. Physics
Theatre 2 Friday 11.00a.m. Physics Theatre
2 Web Lecture Notes   Practicals Tuesda
y 1.00 to 3.00p.m. or 3.00 to 5.00 pm Blackburn
Room 559   Museum Sessions Tuesday 1.00 to
3.00p.m or 3.00 to 5.00pm. or Friday 1.00 to
3.00p.m or 3.00 to 5.00pm. all sessions in
Pathology Museum, Level 5, Blackburn
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Project Wednesday 3.00 to 6.00p.m. Various
locations, Pathology Department, Level 5,
Blackburn. Students can choose to do a
paper-based or pathogenesis project. Details of
Projects are available on the web. Students need
to choose three preferences and notify the
Department (Ms Lorraine McClinchie) via email, as
per instructions on the website www.pathology.us
yd.edu.au (follow link in dropdown
menu) www.pathology.usyd.edu.au/CPAT3101/cpat_ind
ex.html
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• One of two options will be available
• Project based on a research manuscript (no
  attendance at timetabled sessions required,
  centred on library work and interactions with
  tutors). The subject areas vary year to year.
• Pathogenesis Project (no attendance at timetabled
  sessions required, centred on Pathology museum
  work and interactions with tutors). The subject
  areas vary year to year.
• Hand in at end of the semester (4pm on Monday 18
  October)
• Attach Assignment Cover Sheet obtain receipt.
  
• To Department of Pathology Main Office (Ms
  McClinchie or delegate). 
• - Please see the link on the CPAT3101 website for
  policies regarding late submissions and illness
  and misadventure

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Assessment The course is designed in relation to
the learning objectives, and the assessment is an
integral part of this. The assessment is designed
to test understanding, not regurgitation of
"facts". The theory examination will be by MCQ,
though not of the "rote learning" variety. There
will be an optional "practice" Practical
Examination during the course to allow students
to familiarize themselves with this form of
assessment. Summative assessment Project
Report 20 Theory examination 30 Continuous
theory assessment (Stems) 20 Practical
examination 30
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Learning formats In general, microscopic
tutorials tend to have a high practical emphasis
and lectures a high theoretical content, in line
with the aims of these different forms of
learning. Museum sessions will require students
to develop their investigative and interpretative
skills. You are encouraged to ask questions in
tutorials, so no-one need go without any
information that they might need to understand
the material being covered. Furthermore, a few
minutes spent reading the appropriate part of the
text-book before lectures or tutorials will reap
huge learning benefits.
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Museum sessions These will vary slightly with
the different segments of the course. In
general, students will investigate, singly or in
groups, microscopic and macroscopic specimens of
examples of human diseases. These sessions are
expressly self-directed learning sessions. A
member of the academic staff and/or a
demonstrator with expertise in Pathology will be
available in the second half of these sessions
which will be held in the Interactive Centre for
Human Diseases (Blackburn Building).
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Microscopic tutorials These will be held in Room
559 Blackburn Building. The features of disease
states revealed in microscope slides of processed
tissue will be demonstrated and discussed by use
of the video microscope. Students also will
themselves examine the features of the slides
using microscopes.
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• Introductory sessions
• Note that students with the appropriate skills
  need not attend these sessions.
• No microscopy session in first week
• Intro to Path Museum Friday Week 1. Two sessions
  starting 12 and 1pm (Dr Kekic)
• MCQ Stem session Week 2 with Prof King
• Introduction to searching the biomedical
  literature using Ovid. Week 3 (to be held in the
  Medical Library)

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Resources available to students   The Pathology
Museum contains an outstanding collection of
macroscopic ("bottle") specimens. These are
categorized and catalogued and there is
supporting background clinical information. The
Museum also contains a number of Macintosh and
IBM compatible computers connected to the
University network via the Faculty of Medicine
GMP network. Students need a password to
operate these computers. Through them, students
can access Ovid for literature searching and the
on-line Pathology Museum.
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On-line Pathology Museum

• http//rm555.pathology.usyd.edu.au/museum/
• OR
• Link from Pathology Homepage
• Contains microscopic and macroscopic specimens
  and some descriptions the continuous assessment
  tasks.

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Museum (continued) The Museum Sessions will be
held weekly (except for Weeks 1). The activities
will vary for each session. There will be a
demonstrator available in the Museum. The
microscopic slide preparations relevant to any
week of the course will be available in the
Museum for revision using the microscopes that
are located there.  The Pathology Museum is a
real treasure, certainly the best in the Southern
Hemisphere. We hope that you will respect it and
grow to love it!
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• Museum (continued)
• The Pathology Museum is open 7.00 am to 7.00 pm
  Monday to Friday.
• You need an electronic access card to enter and
  leave the Pathology Museum. These will be
  provided during the first 2 weeks of the course
  (from Security - 30 deposit refundable upon
  return of card).
• A computer record of entry and departure from the
  Museum is kept.
• In a couple of previous unfortunate incidents of
  vandalism and theft from the Museum, the police
  were able to access those records to help them in
  their enquiries.

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• What do you need to do now?
• 1. Make sure you sign in on the sign on sheet
  being passed around the lecture room
• 2. Check on the web or the Department notice
  board which group you are in for Microscope Pracs
  and Museum Pracs (by Friday morning)
• 3. If you want to change prac groups arrange a
  swap with a member of the group you wish to swap
  with. Email the change to the Department.
• If clashes require a change in Practical Groups
  then email the Department (cpat3101_at_pathology.usyd
  .edu.au) with the following details
• Subject that clashes
• Times that clash occurs
• Requested change
• Course convener for clashing subject
• 5. Research Assignments email your preferences
  to the Department (details on how to do this are
  on the web).