The course is highlighted by selected patient presentations in clinic and mini-case format which demonstrate how an understanding of the basic and clinical sciences of gastroenterology is essential to rational diagnosis and therapeutic decisions. Throughout the course, formal lectures are given by the core faculty with some guest lectures by local experts. Selected seminars are conducted by students with supervision by faculty members.
In addition to the required readings, there are five assignments, a midterm exam and a final exam.
All of the laboratory activities require active participation on your part. Each lab session begins in the classroom with review of the laboratory assignment for the day. The assignments are distributed a few days before each lab session, and consist of a small set of questions related to the topics under discussion in the course. You are expected to answer the question before each session. Hand in your answers and be prepared to discuss each question in class. Please make sure you allow yourself enough time to complete these assignments because some questions may require additional reading or examination of microscopic slides. Although your responses will not be individually graded, the quality of your work and the level of your participation in the labs will be considered in the final evaluation for the course.
During the course, each student is required to prepare and present an in-depth review and analysis of a critical topic in gastrointestinal pathophysiology to a group of his/her peers. The overall objective of this exercise is for the presenter to study a specific topic in depth, to present his/her findings in a clear and concise formal presentation, and to stimulate discussion and critical analysis in the audience. For each seminar, the class will be divided into four groups, each with a faculty moderator who is also required to evaluate the quality of each presentation as part of the formal written evaluation of each student's performance in the course.