Pathology and Oncology

Catalog description

Molecular Medicine: Approaches & Ethics is a two-semester course for first-year MD-PhD students taught by the Director of the MD-PhD Program, with other faculty from the basic science and clinical departments. Through lectures, small group discussions, online modules, evaluation of primary literature, and presentations/discussions with current KUMC faculty, students will be introduced to the process of scientific investigation. Throughout both semesters, students will be exposed to diverse research methods and model systems used to investigate the molecular basis of disease. In the first semester, there will be particular emphasis on the key elements of achieving scientific rigor and reproducibility, including experimental design, bias, and data analysis. In the second semester, emphasis will be placed on the ethical principles guiding responsible scientific investigation. Students are evaluated by both group activity and individual preparation and participation. Students will need to obtain permission for the rotation from the pathology faculty prior to course enrollment. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MD-PhD Program.