Welcome | Schedule
| Text/Materials |
Requirements | Teaching
with Medical Cases |
The
Case Method | Rubrics
| Division
1 in Natural Science
| NS121T | Human Biology: Selected Topics in Medicine |
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Welcome to Human
Biology: Selected Topics in Medicine.
This course is designed to help
students develop skills necessary
to make progress in five
of the Division I learning goals:
Projects, Presentation, Quantitative, Writing, Reading.
No previous background in human biology is necessary.
Merely taking the course is not sufficient to satisfy all those five Division I learning goals. We will explain how each assignment can help you progress towards certain goals. Midway through the semester, we will let you know how much progress you have made on each of these goals, and we will consult with you if we feel you are missing out on any.
Fatemeh and Merle check e-mail regularly: When you want to ask us something and can't find us, send any of us a computer message. We will reply either on e-mail or in class. Also use your Teaching Assistant for information about your work or the course.
OVERVIEW
OF THE HUMAN BIOLOGY COURSE
The practice of medicine requires a combination of keen observation of a patient's physical condition, behavior, lifestyle factors, and medical history as well as knowledge of human physiology and how to interpret medical test results. Its object is to help prevent and treat malfunctions of the human body and to prevent the spread of disease. A good practitioner learns to listen well, not jump to conclusions, and ask good questions of and about the patient that will enhance understanding of that person's health.
Unhealthy diet and insufficient physical activity are two important risk factors for many chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, obesity, cancer, and diabetes. Working in small teams, students in this course will work with and solve actual medical cases and examine scientific literature that addresses some of these issues. Students also carry out dietary analyses to better understand the components of a healthy diet.
Human Biology introduces students to the biology of a number of human systems through the study of actual medical cases and in-depth analysis of primary research articles. Students learn to use library, computer, and personel resources at Hampshire to provide a foundation for much of their future academic work. There will also be opportunities, for students who are interested, to work with secondary school students.
THIS CLASS IS NOT A BROAD SURVEY OF ALL HUMAN SYSTEMS. Students study those physiological and cellular systems most important to understanding the medical cases.
Students work in teams of 4-6 to develop diagnoses and recommend treatments for patients whose cases are presented. They examine the patients' medical histories and reports of physical exams and laboratory tests. A human biology text, medical texts, current research reports, and internet resources provide students with information they need. Faculty guide students in learning to find, read, understand, and evaluate medical information.For the final project, students choose a particular disease, health issue, medical case, or treatment to investigate in detail and present their findings to the class and in a paper.
The class meets three times a week for one hour and twenty minutes, and it is expected that students working together on case teams will meet outside of class as required.
Regular attendence is exected. If you will miss a class due to illness, please e mail one of us and someone on your team. In order to receive an evaluation for the class, students must complete all work specified on the Human Biology Requirements page.
Progress in the following Division I Learning Goals can be demonstrated if students complete satisfactorily all the course requirements: Project, Oral Presentation, Quantitative Analysis, Analytical Reading, Analytical Writing. Means of making progress in these goals will be explained further throughout the semester.
Medical books were obtained in part through grants to Hampshire College from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Science Foundation STEMTEC program.
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