Syllabus
Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Health
PHSL 1010: Medical Physiology 8W Fall B 2024
Credits - 4
Description
In this course, learners will be introduced to core concepts that shape our knowledge of the workings of the human body. Cell-cell communication and membrane dynamics will first be studied as central themes that govern coordination in individual cells and tissues, and within and between organ systems. Structure/function correlates will introduce the study of each system and the regulation of each system will be illustrated via lecture presentations, laboratories, discussions, and journal clubs. Students will learn to address problems in physiology, and to apply their knowledge and new understandings to case studies similar to those they may encounter in clinical settings.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
As a result of participating in the learning experiences in this course, students will be able to:
- Apply the concepts of cell-cell communication and control of complex systems in laboratories, discussions, journal clubs, and assignments
- Explain the basic components of systems physiology, particularly those associated with the neuromuscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and endocrine structure and function.
- Apply the components of cellular and systems physiology to case studies in endocrine control and to complex problems such as exercise and environmental physiology.
- Contribute to a learning community that will create and explore original applications of physiological concepts in discussions, journal clubs, and a lesson plan.
Learning Outcomes for Science Prerequisites for Health Professions Program
In lecture courses, students should be able to:
- Communicate scientific concepts and information clearly.
- Illustrate fundamental laws, theories, and principles of scientific disciplines.
- Apply knowledge and critical thinking skills to scientific problems.
In lab courses, students should be able to:
- Ask a question or define a problem that can be tested.
- Hypothesize possible result(s).
- Plan and/or conduct an investigation individually and/or collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence.
- Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (i.e., computational, mathematical, graphical, etc.) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.
- Communicate the results by constructing an explanation based on multiple pieces of valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
- Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence gained from various experiments, as well as other observations and/or research, to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.
Assignments
Lectures and Videos:
Before you complete your labs, please view the assigned lecture videos. The lecture videos are organized into playlists corresponding to each week’s topics.
Readings:
The majority of your readings are from the Silverthorn textbook. You will find specific pages in the text assigned to each week’s topics.
Labs and Practical Activities:
This course is organized into eight-week each containing two units of study. In every week, you will complete multiple laboratory assignments. The labs and practical activities provide hands-on learning opportunities in each topic of study.
Exams:
There will be a total of 3 proctored and timed physiology unit exams, 2 timed histology practical exams which are not proctored, and a proctored and timed Final Exam.
The 3 physiology unit exams and the Final Exam are timed and must be proctored by ProctorU; see below for more information. Study guides will be provided to assist you in getting ready for the exams. These exams are closed book and closed notes. This course does not allow scratch paper or whiteboards during the proctored exams.
You must purchase the Official UNE-compliant External Webcam to take your proctored examinations. Remember to order your webcam at least three weeks prior to scheduling your first proctored exam.
For all exams, you must review the Proctored Examinations information and requirements in the Policies section of this syllabus.
Discussions and Journal Club:
Throughout the course, you will participate and interact with peers in four Discussions and five Journal Club learning activities. You can access both of these activities through the links in the weeks where a Discussion question or Journal Club is included. You can also access both activities through the Discussion tab on the course menu.
Discussions will be organized around a topic and you will be given questions to answer. Once your answers are posted, you will be able to read the answers posted by your peers and respond to at least one peer to discuss their answers. The Journal Club assignments are an opportunity to practice and get feedback on the type of analysis needed to complete the final lesson plan. In the Journal Club, you will be given a scholarly article to review and a prompt to answer and discuss with your peers. Once again, you will be asked to post your answer and to respond to at least one of your peers.
Analysis of Exercise Data:
Please read the instructions for the Project, which can be found on your main menu. Please keep a careful record of your data for each repetition of the exercise; you’ll need them for the final laboratory assignment of the course (Analysis of Exercise Data). You MUST use the data table in the Excel Spreadsheet shared with you for your personal data in this project. Note that two weeks will elapse between each repetition of the Exercise Project. Please copy the spreadsheet before you begin entering your data; do not directly edit the template found at the link. Share your data with your instructor after each repetition of the Exercise Project by sharing your copy of the spreadsheet via email or via Course Messages.
Reproductive System Lesson Plan Portfolio:
In this course, will need to create a lesson and a presentation. The portfolio submission is divided into two parts. Part one will include a lesson plan and study aid focusing on the reproductive system. Part two will be a video presentation to accompany your lesson plan.
You must begin your video by showing yourself full-screen, looking directly into the camera, and clearly stating your full name while holding up a piece of paper on which your full name and the date are clearly written in bold writing. If you fail to do so, the assignment will not be graded. You will have to submit it again prior to your course end date.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignments | Percent of Final Grade |
|---|---|
| Physiology Unit Exams | 30% (10% each) |
| Histology Exams (Not Proctored) | 10% |
| PhysioEx Labs | 10% |
| Practical Activities | 5% |
| Discussions (Journal Clubs and Discussion Forums) | 10% |
| Case Studies | 5% |
| Physiology Final Exam | 15% |
| Review Questions | 5% |
| Lesson Outline and Presentation | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Schedule
Course Weeks
Week 1: Oct 30 – Nov 5
Week 2: Nov 6 – Nov 12
Week 3: Nov 13 – Nov 19
Week 4: Nov 20 – Nov 26
Week 5: Nov 27 – Dec 3
Week 6: Dec 4 – Dec 10
Week 7: Dec 11 – Dec 17
Week 8: Dec 18 – Dec 24
| Week | Content | Due Dates |
| 1 (Each week is two units) |
|
Discussions Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Posts due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 2 |
|
Discussion Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Post due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. First Data Collection for Exercise Project due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Exam due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 3 |
|
Discussion Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Post due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 4 |
|
Discussion Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Post due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Second Data Collection for Exercise Project due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Histology due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Exam due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 5 |
|
Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 6 |
|
Discussion Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Post due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Third Data Collection for Exercise Project due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Histology due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Exam due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 7 |
|
Discussion Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Post due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
| 8 |
|
Discussion Initial Post due Friday, 11:59 PM. Discussion Response Post due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Pearson Work due Tuesday, 11:59 PM. Assignments due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. Final Exam due Tuesday at 11:59 PM. |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies. Questions? Email: prehealth@une.edu.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Instructor and Support Contact Information
Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.
UNE Libraries
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
Further Assistance
Your student service advisor monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.
Policies
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Assignments
Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted. Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded. Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Proctored Examinations
The University of New England has contracted with ProctorU to provide students with the most convenient online exam proctoring system. This system provides a simple, no cost to the student, secure, online proctor for exams and allows the student to take all the exams at home and on their own schedule.
Upon enrollment into the course, each student will register with ProctorU and establish a login name and password. This will give the student access to all of ProctorU's services. When ready, students will schedule each of their proctored exams with ProctorU. Exams must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid fees. Prior to taking their exams, students must be sure that they have downloaded the ProctorU Chrome or Firefox extension and are using the most current version of Chrome or Firefox. They must also be sure their testing site's connection meets the minimum requirements by using ProctorU's "Test It Out" utility.
Upon the exam day and hour, students will log in to ProctorU and click on "exams". After following the procedures outlined at ProctorU's website, the student will log in to Brightspace and locate their correct exam. The proctor will then allow student access to that exam.
Students must use ProctorU and must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited.
Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Length
A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.
Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 8 weeks
- Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar found on the Student Success Portal.
- Course due dates, start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.
Withdrawal and Refund Policies
Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact PreHealth@une.edu with any questions.
Grade Policy
Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. Contact support with any questions.
Transcripts
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.