Introduction to pharmacology and neurosciences and introduction to statistics and epidemiology
zzz
Introduction to pharmacology and neurosciences
Coordinators: Dr A A Beveridge (Pharmacology) and Professor M E Holman (Physiology)
Two new disciplines, neurosciences and pharmacology, which are both important in medicine, are introduced to students. Both disciplines are also among the most rapidly expanding areas in medicine. Combining these disciplines is useful as they relate closely with each other, and a good basic knowledge of neurosciences and pharmacology is essential for students to understand material taught subsequently (eg cardiovascular and respiratory medicine). The specific aims are (1) to provide basic knowledge of the central and peripheral nervous system with emphasis on the innervation of smooth and cardiac muscle (autonomic nervous system); (2) to introduce the principles of pharmacology; and (3) to examine the effects of drugs which modulate peripheral neurotransmission by either selective or non-selective action.
Assessment
Examination (2 hours): 95% * Practicals: 5%
Preliminary reading
Levine R R Pharmacology: Drug actions and reactions 3rd edn, Little Brown, 1983
Prescribed texts
Berne R M and Levy M N Physiology 3rd edn, Mosby, 1993
or
Katzung B G Basic and clinical pharmacology 5th edn, Appleton and Lange, 1992
Reference books
Gilman A G and others Goodman and Gilman's `The pharmacological basis of therapeutics' 8th edn, Pergamon, 1990
or
Speight T M (ed.) Avery's `Drug treatment': Principles and practice of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 3rd edn, Adis Press, 1987
or
Nicholls J G and others From neurone to brain 3rd edn, Sinauer, 1992
zzz
Introduction to statistics and epidemiology
Dr M Abramson (Social and Preventive Medicine)
At the completion of this unit, students will be able to (1) interpret statistical information in medical journal articles; (2) state the difference between descriptive and analytical epidemiology; (3) state the strengths and weaknesses of different epidemiological study designs; (4) conduct a small clinical trial; (5) Perform simple statistical analyses with Minitab. This study includes demography, descriptive and analytical epidemiology, epidemiological study designs, diagnostic and screening tests and statistical applications. The course comprises eighteen lectures and five tutorials. The tutorials include an introduction to Minitab, conducting a small clinical trial and critical appraisal of medical literature.
Assessment
Mid-year examination (1 hour): 80% * Presentations of tutorial group projects: 15% * Tutorial exercise: 5%
Prescribed texts
Minitab release 7 Quick reference card
Greenberg R S and others Medical epidemiology Prentice-Hall, 1993
Reference books
Beaglehole R and others Basic epidemiology World Health Organisation, 1993
Bland M An introduction to medical statistics OUP, 1987
Dawson-Saunders B and Trapp R G Basic and clinical biostatistics Lange, 1990
Last J M A dictionary of epidemiology 2nd edn, OUP, 1988
Ryan T A and others Minitab reference manual Minitab Inc, 1986
Sackett D L and others Clinical epidemiology: A basic science for clinical medicine Little Brown , 1985
Streiner D L and others PDQ epidemiology Becker, 1989