Principles 2 - Foundations of Disease, Prevention, and Treatment (P2-FDPT)

Foundations of Disease, Prevention, and Treatment (FDPT) is an integrated four-week MS1 course taught in the fall that provides foundational knowledge of disease pathogenesis and the clinical elements of disease through the lens of cancer, the impact of disease and disease prevention on populations, and principles of the pharmacological treatment of disease. Through social determinants of health, students will consider the ways in which the external environment affects and influences human beings’ health. Through epidemiology and biostatistics, students will work in an interprofessional setting with colleagues from our Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing to study fundamentals and learn to assess the medical literature. Fundamental concepts of cancer will serve as a model to consider disease pathogenesis, disease epidemiology, clinical diagnosis, treatment, and the impact of disease on patients. The course will also introduce and apply basic concepts of pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, drug development, the autonomic nervous system, and toxicology. By emphasizing general principles of pharmacology, cancer, epidemiology, biostatistics, and determinants of health, the course will provide an intellectual framework for students to apply in subsequent courses.

The block uses a variety of learning modalities, including interactive lectures, small group case-based and problem-solving sessions, flipped classrooms, simulations, problem-based learning and reflective exercises.

Evaluations will test not only knowledge base, but problem-solving skills and the ability to seek and analyze appropriate information. Summative assessments will be in the form of participation in discussions, problem sets, weekly online quizzes, and a final exam. Formative assessments will include practice quizzes, discussion sessions, critical evaluation of the literature, and small group case-based sessions with faculty facilitators.

Upon completion of P2-FDPT, MS1 students will be able to:

1. Develop an understanding of the complex and interrelated factors associated with the health of individuals and populations (Community and Patient Advocate, Health Systems Navigator)
2. Understand and demonstrate the clinician’s role as advocate for the health of individuals and populations (Communicator, Community and Patient Advocate, Health Systems Navigator)
3. Understand and demonstrate the clinician’s role as one member of the inter-professional health care team functioning within a community to promote health equity (Professional, Person, Communicator, Clinical Problem Solver)
4. Provide students with a core set of concepts and skills in epidemiology and biostatistics required to critically evaluate the medical literature, important components of evidence-based medicine. (Scientist, Clinical Problem Solver)
5. Articulate the strengths and weaknesses of various epidemiologic study designs, and interpret epidemiological terms used in medical literature. (Scientist, Communicator)
6. Evaluate basic statistical concepts related to descriptive and inferential statistics, including measures of association used in epidemiologic studies. (Scientist, Clinical Problem Solver)
7. Collaborate with colleagues in an interprofessional setting to critique epidemiologic literature. (Professional, Clinical Problem Solver)
8. Describe the cellular changes that occur in cancer development and disease progression (Scientist)
9. Describe the epidemiology of various cancers in the US and across the world (Scientist)
10. Understand the risk factors for cancer, the data that supports these risks and the impact the social determinants of health have on risk factors (Community and Patient Advocate)
11. Describe the various ways cancer presents in a patient and the approach to patient care as cancer progresses (Community and Patient Advocate, Clinical Problem Solver, Health System Navigator)
12. Understand the use of surgery, radiation, and drugs in the treatment of cancer (Clinical Problem Solver)
13. Explain the processes involved in drug discovery, development, marketing approval, marketing practices, and medication law, and their influence on prescribing, including the ethical and legal issues in using humans in research. (Scientist, Professional)
14. Describe the general principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics (including the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination), and drug metabolism (including specific reactions and how they participate in drug interactions) and apply these principles to clinical decision-making. (Scientist, Problem Solver)
15. Perform pharmacokinetic calculations to design dosing regimens. (Scientist, Problem Solver)
16. Describe the function of peripheral neuroeffector systems, neurotransmitters and receptor subtypes involved, and the similarities and differences between the major neuroeffector systems and predict both the direct and indirect responses to the administration of drugs that activate or inhibit each of the major peripheral neuroeffector systems. (Scientist)
17. Review the mechanism(s) of action, therapeutic indication(s), adverse effects, and potential drug interactions of specific classes of drugs used for their ability to mimic or inhibit each branch of the peripheral nervous system. (Scientist, Problem Solver)
18. Describe the characteristics of intoxication with various poisons following acute or chronic exposure, and their management. (Scientist, Problem Solver)

Updated JUNE 24 2022 | cjb