Physician Assistant Program

Semester and year: Summer 2017

Course Name: Medical Physiology and Mechanisms of Disease
Course Number: PA 604
Course Credit: 3 Units
Location: TBD
Meeting Times: M,Th 1-2:30PM

Instructor of Record: Michael De Rosa MPH, Ph.D., PA-C

Office location: Peralta Pavilion, 4th floor.
Phone: 510-869-8821
Email: mderosa@samuelmerritt.edu

Course Description:
This two-semester course covers the basic human physiology of multiple organ systems
while also exploring the pathophysiology relevant to each system. In this way the student
learns about disease processes as an aberration of normal functioning. Special attention
will be paid to laboratory evaluations commonly used in clinical practice.

This course will be taught in-person and on-line. On-line lectures will be posted using
voice-over powerpoint presentations. Canvas discussion boards will be used to augment
student learning and provide for further interaction.

Required texts:
Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States, C. M. Porth. ISBN:
0781749883
Textbook of Medical Physiology, AC Guyton & JE Hall. ISBN: 0721602401

Evaluation:
The course grade will be determined based on the average score earned by the student on
5 examinations: four midterms (19% each) and one final examination (19%) divided
between new material and cumulative material. 5% of the course grade will be available
for completion of CME topics relevant to each unit of the course. At no time will students
be allowed to use any course-related or other materials or devices during an examination.

CME topic materials will be posted electronically and due prior to the final examination.

Grades: Course grades will be assigned using the following scale: (Minimum passing
grade is 70%):
A >90 %
B 80-89 %
C 70-79 %
D 60-69%
 F < 60 %

There will be no +/- grading employed in this course.

Course Objectives
Course learning objectives will be assessed by performance on written, multiple-choice
examinations as outlined above. At the conclusion of this course students should be able
to:

Define terms used to describe common physiological processes related to each organ
system studied in accurate scientific terminology;

Describe the functional anatomy and the normal physiology of all organ systems
presented in the course;

Demonstrate advanced medical knowledge through an understanding of pathophysiologic

events as an aberration of normal human physiology;

Demonstrate advanced medical knowledge pertaining to physiological principles and

critical thinking skills necessary to apply knowledge of those principles to predict normal
function and normal responses of the human organism to internal and environmental
stimuli;

Demonstrate critical thinking skills through the ability to apply an understanding of basic
physiological principles and processes to the evaluation of clinical case scenarios and the
interpretation of diagnostic evaluations commonly used in the primary care setting;

Demonstrate critical thinking and advanced medical knowledge through a rational,

physiologically-based approach to commonly used treatments.

Lecture- specific learning objectives will be provided for each lecture. Examination
materials will reflect learning objectives and lecture content as well as material based on
assigned course readings.

Remediation Policy:
All remediations are conducted at the discretion of the instructor. All students must
complete a “mastery project” for ALL examinations on which their score is <70% in
order to pass the course. Once a mastery project is satisfactorily completed, and at the
discretion of the IOR, the first midterm <70% will receive a remediated grade of 70%
which will be reflected in the final course grade. All other original midterm examination
scores will be calculated into the final grade, though students who do not complete the
mastery project for all midterms <70% will receive a D in the course unless their
cumulative score falls <60% in which case a grade of F will be recorded. No other
remediations will be offered. Student who decline remediation of the first mid-term with
a score less than 70% will not be offered another.