Course Syllabus

Welcome to the CRRAB II Course.

The four systems that make up the CRRAB offerings are responsible to a great extent for the homeostasis of the human body.These four organ systems are closely interconnected through both the vascular space as well as via neurohormonal mechanisms. The cardiovascular and pulmonary system alone accounts for 5 of the top 10 reasons for hospitalization in the US with heart disease accounting for 1 in 4 deaths in the US.  It is estimated that heart disease costs the US about 219 billion per year. Chronic kidney disease affects 15-20% of the general population with cardiovascular disease the leading cause of death in this population. Half of all CKD patients will have clinical heart failure by the time they reach dialysis, but most will die from a cardiovascular cause before reaching that point. Dialysis patients account for 1% of the total Medicare population but 7% of the total costs. . Improving the lives of our patients requires ongoing dedication to finding therapies and interventions that reduce morbidity and mortality. This begins in our primary care clinics. A strong understanding of these organ systems, the pathology of their diseases and current best practice treatments is fundamental to being a successful clinician.

This syllabus will deal with the second unit in the course, the respiratory, renal, and acid-base systems. However, your knowledge from the cardiovascular course will be a cornerstone for understanding and integrating the information presented.

As in clinical practice, this course relies on the active participation of the students and team-based activities. Clinics and hospitals utilize the talents of many people to provide outstanding care and developing team-based skills is critical to functioning as a student and clinician. In addition, it allows for the development of strong self-guided learning skills that will be necessary for the rest of your careers.

Didactic lectures are designed to provide key concepts while the case-based learning formats provide context and application. In all cases, an attempt is made to integrate the anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, pathology, and clinical medicine for each topic. The emphasis for CRRAB is on mechanisms of disease, global (non-linear) thinking, and application of knowledge rather than simple recall of facts.

Course Communication

Each lecturer is committed to being available for questions. It is the student’s responsibility to be mindful of that these lectures within CRRAB are only a portion of each instructor’s overall daily responsibility.

• Emails should receive a response within 48 business hours. More urgent questions should be brought up at end of class period or at office hours. In general, emails will not be addressed over the weekend or in the evening except at each lecturers discretion. If you are unable to reach an individual lecturer, notify Dr. Muster.
• Note the exam rules regarding questions. Once the exam is open, NO questions will be addresses until AFTER the exam is closed and completed by all students.

1. Explain the embryologic basis of structure-based malfunctions in the kidney and lungs (embryology).
2. Describe the basic histologic features of the normal kidney and lung and those of common renal and respiratory diseases (histology).
3. Describe the normal structure of the renal and respiratory system (anatomy).
4. Describe genetic factors in renal and respiratory diseases (genetics).
5. Discuss the impact of infectious disease pathology on the renal and respiratory system (microbiology).
6. Describe the etiology and treatment of common diseases of the renal and respiratory system (medicine).
7. Discuss how structural and functional changes secondary to disease alter normal renal and respiratory function (pathology).
8. List the common diseases of the renal and respiratory systems and their pathophysiology (pathology).
9. Identify common acid-base disorders (pathology, physiology).
10. Describe the pharmacology of drugs used to treat renal and respiratory diseases (pharmacology).
11. Describe a basic understanding of salt and water balance and the critical importance of this function to homeostasis (physiology).
12. Describe the critical importance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid balance in maintaining homeostasis (physiology).
13. Identify the fascial and muscular layers of the abdominal wall. Applying your understanding of embryology to this region, relate this organization to the layers found in the Identify and characterize the contents of the scrotal sac. Compare the clinical presentation and risk factors of various abdominal and inguinal hernias.
14. Identify, locate and describe the peritoneal sacs, organs of the gastrointestinal system, including auxiliary organs, and pelvic organs. Characterize the distinguishing features of each organ. Map the neurovasculature of the abdominal cavity, with attention to portal circulation, somatic and autonomic innervation. Use this knowledge to assist in identifying organs in cross section and other imaging modalities. Correlate anatomy with clinical presentations of diseases of the GI tract, and abdominopelvic neural and vascular systems. (anatomy)
15. Propose hypotheses, ask relevant mechanistic and clinical questions, and reach a final clinical Research learning issues individually or in teams. Draw the final concept map. Present the final mechanism to your team. (PBL and GDL)
16. Understand the ethical, legal, and social implications of information that is specific to pulmonary and renal disorders, including issues surrounding diagnostic and predictive genetic testing, organ donation, and physician error. (ethics)

Pass: 70% of total course points

N: Missing one or more of the components of the Pass grade.

Incomplete: This grade is given whenever coursework has not been completed.

Course grades and exam grades in Years 1 and 2 courses will be criterion-referenced, that is, based on a student’s mastery of the material and not comparative to other students in the class. A student must accumulate 70% or more of the total points in the course in order to earn a P (Pass) in the course.

Students receiving an N will be referred to the Scholastic Standing Committee for consideration for a remedial program. If the committee recommends a remedial program, the timing, content, nature, and passing level of this program will be at the discretion of the course faculty. Typically remediation for students failing to attain a 70% grade for the course involves achieving a grade on the remedial examination of 70% or greater. The remedial program for students failing to achieve a grade of 70% on the final cumulative examination will be to attain a grade of 70% on the remedial examination. Students failing the remedial program will be determined to have failed the course and all further action will be at the discretion of the Scholastic Standing Committee.

The following textbooks/materials are used in this course in various ways.  Some faculty will use these sources to prepare their lectures and may make specific assignments.  Other faculty may provide detailed handouts and the students can use the textbooks primarily as references to expand their knowledge. Most resources should be available through the Health Sciences Library

 Strongly Recommended Materials:

1. 1. Cotran, Kumar & Robbins. 2010. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 10th edition. Philadelphia: Saunders.
2. Katzung, B. G. 2012. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 12th Edition. Norwalk: McGrawHill/Appleton & Lange.
3. Moore & Persaud. 2008. The Developing Human. 8th Edition. Philadelphia: Saunders-Elsevier.
4. Sloane, P. D. 2012. Essentials of Family Medicine. 6th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott.
5. Vanders Renal Physiology, Ninth Edition, by Douglas C Eaton and John Pooler
6. West, J. B. 2008. Respiratory Physiology: The Essentials. 8th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Information about the course can be accessed through Canvas. Class notes and other materials will be available through Canvas Session pages, which will be linked via the Canvas and Google Calendars.

Multiple resources are available for free on the University of Minnesota Biomedical Library Website.  Feel free to talk with the course directors and instructors for additional information. Health Sciences Library Book Search link

Guidelines of the Educational Policy Committee will be followed. We encourage your thoughtful attention to this input since it is considered carefully in planning the course for the subsequent year.

The Disability Resource Center recommends that all University instructors use the following statement on their course syllabi to inform students of the instructor’s willingness to provide reasonable accommodations:

The University of Minnesota is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is the campus office that collaborates with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations.
● If you have, or think you may have, a disability (e.g., mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical), please contact the DRC at 612-626-1333 to arrange a confidential discussion regarding equitable access and reasonable accommodations.
● If you are registered with the DRC and have a current letter requesting reasonable accommodations, we encourage you to contact your instructor early in the semester to review how the accommodations will be applied in the course.

Additional information is available on the DRC website: https://diversity.umn.edu/disability/ In June 2006, the Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health developed and endorsed the use of the following syllabus statement to inform students of campus resources:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety. alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. University of Minnesota services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus via http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu

Accommodations can be made for students with special needs. Requests are handled by Office of Student Affairs. The course faculty will make every effort to accommodate the needs of all such students as identified by the Office of Student Affairs. It remains the obligation of the student to make sure individual faculty are apprised of his/her individual needs and that all accommodations requested are utilized.

POLICY STATEMENT

All educational courses using human anatomical material from the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program must submit a full syllabus to the Proposal Review Committee prior to the course start. The Proposal Review Committee will review the syllabus prior to granting laboratory access for the course.

REASON FOR POLICY

The Anatomy Bequest Program requires that all syllabi have uniform language in order to create uniformity of the program’s policies and mission.

POLICY COMPLIANCE

In addition to what is required by the affiliated College or University, the Anatomy Bequest Program requires the following laboratory section be added to the class syllabus.

1)   All students will be required to participate in the Anatomy Bequest Program orientation presentation either conducted in person by an Anatomy Bequest Program staff member or a video version prior to being allowed access to the donors.
2)   No cell phones and/or cameras are allowed in the laboratory. Videotaping or photographing the human anatomical material is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the University of Minnesota’s Anatomy Bequest Program Proposal Review Committee, including but not limited to any images which will published or distributed. 
3)   Students shall track all human anatomical material by keeping the donor’s acquisition number tag with the donor at all times.  If the tag becomes disassociated from the donor, the course director should be contacted immediately.  All tissue removed from the donor during dissection must be retained, identified with the donor’s acquisition number and tracked.  Bins will be provided for appropriate storage of any removed tissues, and should stay with the donor at all times.
4)   Anatomical material must not be removed from the dissecting laboratory.
5)   Unauthorized access to the lab is not permitted – i.e. dissection and/or study of the donors without the permission of the instructor is forbidden.  Additionally, individuals not enrolled in the course are not permitted to view the donors without permission by the instructor and fulfillment of all stated requirements.
6)   Disrespectful language, improper handling, or any other behavior deemed inappropriate in regards to the donor or dissection process will not be allowed or tolerated.  Both conversational and written language relating to the donor and donor dissection by human anatomy students lab must be respectful and discrete. Any information about the donor including the donor’s demographical, social or medical history is confidential and students are not allowed to disclose this information.
7)   The use of the Internet in general, and social media sites in particular, including, but not limited to, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc., by students as a venue for discussing any aspect of the donor or donor dissection is strictly prohibited.
8)   Proper attire must be worn for all anatomical study. This includes long pants or floor length skirt, full coverage t-shirts (short or long sleeve), and closed-toed shoes.
9)   The laboratory must remain clean.  Laboratory tables and counters should be thoroughly washed after each lab, and the floors should be kept free of spills and wastes.
10) Non-compliance with the above policies may result in a student being immediately expelled from the course with a failing grade, the student being referred to further disciplinary actions such as a conduct review hearing, and/or criminal charges, if applicable.