CELLULAR STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTION
Blackboard:
http://elearning.uky.edu
The 13-week
block entitled "Cellular Structure and Function" is composed of two
complementary courses. One of these is the 7-credit biochemistry
course BCH/MD-819 and is administered by the Department of
Biochemistry. The other is the 4-credit genetics course MI/MD-815 and
is administered by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
Separate grades will be given for the two courses. The objective of
this block is to provide students with a sufficient knowledge and
understanding of human biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics
to equip them to be outstanding physicians.
While the block period goes from 8 AM to 12 Noon, the full alloted
time is rarely used. Occasionally, some of non-scheduled time during
this block period will be used to make up lecture time in order to get
caught up.
While this block has two distinct
components, a great deal of effort has been made to integrate the
content presented in the two courses and to include other related
information, such as some nutritional aspects. Based on discussions
with previous classes, we have chosen to not use problem-based
learning sessions in this block.
How
the performance of the students will be evaluated is detailed in the
accompanying information sheets. It is required that students
participate in all scheduled activities.
Special Note Concerning Clinical Correlations
During these two-hour sessions, typically a patient or patient case
relevant to the topics being taught in biochemistry and genetics will
be presented. Where there is a patient, the primary physician will
present the case and ask questions of the patient. The sessions will
be opened to questions from the students. Because these sessions are
of a professional nature, students are required to dress accordingly.
Although ties and jackets for the men and dresses for the women are
not required, caps, blue jeans and other very casual clothing are
inappropriate.
Cellular Structure &
Function - Biochemistry
BCH-819/MD-8198
UInformation
Sheet:
It is assumed
that students have a working knowledge of the general principles of
chemistry. BCH-819 concentrates on mammalian biochemistry and its
relationship to modern medicine. In keeping with the aims of the first
year curriculum, the emphasis in the lectures will be on the
biochemistry of the normal individual; disease states will be the focus
of other activities.
Textbooks:
Biochemistry, 3rd
Edition (Lippencott) – required
Biochemistry & Genetics
Pre-Test USMLE Step 1-type Questions - recommended
Websites:
All lecture handouts and course information can be downloaded at the
MD816/819 link on the Blackboard website:
http://elearning.uky.edu
Examinations:
There will be
four exams in BCH-819. Collectively, each of these four exams is
weighted as 25%; all four exams will constitute 100% of the final
numerical grade. Since biochemistry represents a continuum of related
information, each examination will cover all of the material presented
up to that exam. The exams begin at 8 am and end at 10:30 am; 2.5 hours
are allotted per exam including the time for answering each question and
completely filling out the bubble sheet. Students are expected to be on
time for the exams. The faculty will not discuss exam questions
while the exam is in progress. During the examination, students are not
to have electronic devices such as calculators, cell phones, pagers,
PDAs on them. Instead, these devices should be left either in the
student’s locker or at the front of the classroom in the off position.
Test
questions may cover material in the assigned reading, material in the
lectures, or any clinical correlation. Additionally, test questions may
present novel material that needs to be analyzed based on key
principles. For exams, information discussed in class by the instructor
supercedes information from all other sources.
Exams and the
computer sheets are to be turned in immediately after finishing the
exam. Several copies of the exam will be given to the laision committee
which can be viewed by students for up to 2 days following the
exam. Exams are not permitted to be photocopied, hand-copied, or
kept by the students. Anything other than viewing of the exam
during this period is considered a violation of the ethics code.
Regarding exam questions, disagreements made by individual students are
to be presented to the laision committee, not the faculty.
Subsequently, the laision committee will collect the rebuttals of the
students’ disagreements and compile a list of up to 5 exam questions to
be discussed with the instructors. For each question to be challenged,
the laision committee is to put in writing exactly what the nature of
the rebuttal is and forward the compilation to the pertinent instructor
one day prior to meeting with the instructor. Only those rebuttals in
the 5 question compilation list will be discussed at the meeting with
the instructor. At that meeting, the exam copies are to be handed in to
the instructor.
Grading:
A student's numerical grade will be
based on exams. Each of the four exams will be equally weighted. No
rounding up of the final numerical grade will be considered. Letter
grades will be assigned based on the summed scores of all exams (with
one decimal place) according to the following distribution:
Grade Minimum score
required
A 1.0 standard
deviation above the mean
B 0.5 standard
deviations below the mean
C 1.5 std. dev.
below the mean or a cumulative average of 66.0% on all 4 tests,
whichever is less
U 2.5 standard
deviations below the mean
E Any score more
than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean
Standard deviations for the exams and
final scores will be calculated using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
standard deviation formula and determined by the Office of Education.
A grade of U is not a passing grade
and a student who receives such a grade may, at the discretion of the
Student Progress and Promotions Committee, be permitted to take a
make-up examination. Satisfactory performance in the make-up
examination would convert the U to a U/C. A student who receives a
grade of E is not eligible for a make-up exam.
Designated tutor for
medical students: Dr. David Watt,
dwatt@uky.edu , 343 BBSRB, tel: 36589 |
