MEDSCI 203 : Mechanisms of Disease
Medical and Health Sciences
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Course Contacts
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of (in exams and assignments) the prevalence of specific diseases of importance to New Zealanders, and health inequities in disease presentation and progression (examples include Diabetes and Rheumatic Fever). (Capability 1)
- Apply knowledge learned in this course to living wisely: theory should relate to lifestyle applications in terms of diet, exercise, stress, cultural and other inputs that ultimately impact on health (such as mediating effects of chronic inflammation, metabolic disease, antibiotic resistance and cardiovascular function). (Capability 2)
- Understand and explain the origins (aetiologies) and developmental mechanisms (pathogenesis) of diseases, including chronic inflammation (fatty liver disease), abnormalities of immunity (allergies, autoimmunity), bacterial infections, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and tumours. (Capability 3)
- Develop the ability to contrast competing theories, and to evaluate their relative merits in accounting for disease development, as exemplified by ongoing controversies over the origins of arterial disease (atheroma and atherosclerosis), and (in cancer) multiple ways by which tumours gain a blood supply and colonise sites remote from the primary tumour. (Capability 4)
- Apply integrative thinking to develop models and hypotheses as to how complex, multifactorial disease conditions may evolve, and how they may be diagnosed (as with genomic and transcriptomic analyses of genetic disease) and treated (as with therapies developed to target proteins specifically altered in cancers). (Capability 5)
- Develop connections in taught material by revising content (from digital lessons, textbooks and reading references) during laboratories and tutorials, by pair and small group work to practise multiple forms of verbal, written and visual presentation. (Capability 6)
- Establish productive and enduring relationships with peers during tutorial group-work and display effective collaboration through active participation and completion of assignments. (Capability 7)
- Evaluate scientific literature to identify key points and link them together critically using flow diagrams or mind maps. This will be achieved in part by assignments requiring analysis of articles on fatty liver disease, inflammation, heart disease and cancer. (Capability 8)
- Demonstrate the ability to engage in self-directed learning throughout the course, and particularly when novel concepts require further explanation or elucidation. (Capability 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments and Tutorials | 19% | Individual Coursework |
| Laboratories - reports | 16% | Individual Coursework |
| Test #1 | 15% | Individual Test |
| Test #2 | 15% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 35% | Individual Examination |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Assignments and Tutorials | ||||||||||
| Laboratories - reports | ||||||||||
| Test #1 | ||||||||||
| Test #2 | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 31 hours of digital lessons, 71 hours of reading, thinking about the content and test/exam preparation, and 45 hours of laboratory work, tutorials and assignments. Two in-term tests are held in additional evening time slots.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled practical labs and tutorials to complete coursework components of the course.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Overall course satisfaction in 2023 was high with respondents stating that the digital resources provided complimented lectures and labs. Throughout 2023 we actively worked with class representatives to resolve immediate and longer-term issues. Some students felt that the learning environment did not provide enough opportunities to communicate and/or collaborate with peers and we have responded to this by altering the course structure to include compulsory tutorial sessions that are specifically designed to encourage small group work. This will help students to feel more connected to a community of learners and stay motivated and engaged with their learning.
Other Information
In response to student feedback and the Curriculum Framework Transformation programme, MEDSCI 203 has been refreshed for 2024. To support student flexibility and independence in learning, traditional lectures (3x 1hr per week) have been converted in to self-directed online lessons. To support collaboration and development of enduring relationships with peers, fortnightly activity based tutorials have been included. These are aimed to allow revision of the lesson content and development of various written, verbal and visual communication skills.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Completing assignments and texts/exams is an essential part of this course to support learning. No more than one major in-course assessment may be awarded with an aegrotat or compassionate assessment. If you apply for more than one aegrotat for major assessments, aegrotat can only be applied to one of these. Once exam marking has been completed, we will perform an analysis and apply the most favourable outcome possible to one of those assessments.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.