This six-week course in third-term is
similar to the soft science classes you’ve had thus far (Bioethics,
CPM). I used BRS Behavioral Science and High-Yield Biostatistics to
complement the course. I believe the note packets were sufficient and
you don’t necessarily need to buy any books to do well. Your grade
is based on two exams (each with 120 questions, 2 ½ hours).
I found this class extremely
interesting because we had nine different instructors with each one
lecturing on different topics. We covered behavioral science in
module 1, biostatistics, epidemiology, and health systems in module
2, and jurisprudence, and clinical ethics in module 3. You also have
an opportunity to visit the Mental Hospital in Grenada (1 hour). Some
students in my class were allowed to interview patients while others
could only observe. I believe it depends on what the tour guide or doctor feels like doing. Try to sign-up after the first day of class
because timeslots fill up real fast and you’ll be left with a
less-than-ideal time.
Our class was required to watch five short videos: Back from Madness (50 min), When the Bough Breaks (57 min), The Doctor (83 min), Twitch and Shout (52 min), and Sick Around the World (60 min). You can watch these online in the comfort of your home because attendance is not required. “Sick Around the World” was the only video that had questions pertaining to it on the exam.
A big portion of the behavioral science
section deals with psychological disorders. You must know the DSM
criteria (number of symptoms, duration) for each one. You also need
to learn some drugs (less than 20) and the mechanisms of action. It
won’t be too difficult to know which medication is needed for
various disorders if you understand how the drug works. One thing I
found a bit tedious in the behavioral science section was memorizing
the various categories (childhood developmental stages, cultural
differences, facts of specific age groups).
We had biostatistics pre-midterm and
epidemiology post-midterm. I found this section very useful because
it teaches one how to properly interpret research articles. It goes
without saying that you need to learn a few formulas in order to
comprehend the information. The biostatistics portion has a lot more
formulas compared to the epidemiology section. The exam has a few
simple plug ‘n chug questions but the real meat comes from
understanding the why. We had one lab section in this module where
our group (you form your own group of 4) used a computer to interpret
data. Afterwards each member of the group presented a case to an
instructor. Take advantage and ask questions.
You learn about various health systems
during part of module 2. This section was not difficult. You get exposed to the convoluted health care system in America compared to the
rest of the world. Evidence-based medicine was another easy section
post-midterm. You learn a bit more on systematic reviews and will get
a chance to interpret a meta-analysis of a specific topic under CAM
(Complementary Alternative Medicine). You will present this
information to your assigned group.
The last module deals with clinical
ethics and jurisprudence. The ethics section was self-explanatory once
you have learned the definitions. I did not personally find this portion too
demanding. Finally you finish up with jurisprudence. This last
section was also pretty common sense (do not have sex with your
patients, don’t do things without permission from patient). There
are some definitions and specific cases you must memorize (Roe V Wade).
If you listen to what the instructor emphasizes you don’t have to
read every word in the note packet (it contains a lot of text). You
must commit to memory the glossary of terms for this module. I found a lot of
questions on the jurisprudence section in the final exam based off the glossary. The instructor will
tell you which specific cases to read and understand.
You get a weekend off before you begin the
notorious fourth-term once finals are over and done with . Relax and enjoy this “break”.
Great way to learn the stages of
Kubler-Ross
Pathology in the Hundred Acre Wood: Winnie-the-Pooh
A fun read after you learn the various psychological disorders
A fun read after you learn the various psychological disorders
