| Semester 2, 2023 Online | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Health and Medical Sciences |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Requisites
Pre-requisite: BIO2118
Overview
This course is designed to extend student learning in the field of physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. The course will build upon the knowledge and skills gained from studying Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 (BIO1203), Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 (BIO1206) and other physiology and pharmacology courses. Students integrate and apply this knowledge in the context of extreme physiological and pharmacological conditions including the effects of spaceflight on the human body and mechanisms of action of performance enhancing drugs and other interventions. Students will also further develop their abilities to discuss, interpret and critically analyse important medical issues. The critical thinking skills developed by this course will also prepare students for a higher degree in research, future study in postgraduate courses, such as medicine, as well as preparing students to enter the workforce.
Extreme Physiology and Pharmacology will provide an insight into the effects of extreme physiological and pharmacological stress on the body, including that exerted by extreme environments, exercise, drugs and certain clinical conditions. It will also include the exploration of current research into extreme physiological conditions and cutting-edge pharmacological approaches to combat these.
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- Describe the effects of extreme physical environments and extreme physiological stresses on the human body;
- Explain the mechanism of action of performance-enhancing and medicinal drugs on the human body;
- Critically evaluate clinical and scientific literature;
- Effectively communicate scientific concepts to both a scientific and lay audience.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Human physiological changes in extreme conditions and environments | 50.00 |
| 2. | Pharmacology of performance-enhancing drugs | 15.00 |
| 3. | Advances in pharmacological approaches to combat extreme physiological conditions | 15.00 |
| 4. | Scientific communication | 20.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature review A1 of 3 | No | 10 | 1,2,4 |
| Literature review A2 of 3 | No | 20 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Literature review A3 of 3 | No | 10 | 1,2,3 |
| Presentation (ind, grp, mltmd) | No | 10 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Time limited online examinatn | No | 50 | 1,2,4 |