Course Review

 

I found MEDSCI203 to be a very engaging course despite the format being online lessons and in person tutorials and labs. The only critique I have on the format was the length of some of the online lessons. While it did increase engagement due to the in-browser activities and the longer lectures split into multiple smaller videos, some of the students were struggling to find a proper pace to digest the lessons. Apart from the online lessons, the tutorials and labs were my favourite part of the course. They helped round off any questions that the online lessons felt left unanswered and the activities were enjoyable but related to the lesson contents. 

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Regarding course content, I found the majority to be really interesting. A lot of the content overlapped with one another and also through the different systems, I often found myself going back to previous lessons as a question I’d have about one system process would be answered in another lesson. Out of all the modules, I found module 3 the hardest to wrap my head around. Especially the lesson on exotoxins and endotoxins, as it goes through various modes of infection and how they infiltrate your immune system. Complexity within the course varies, each lesson goes into fairly deep depths of content, however it’s typically not difficult to grasp as long as you're able to relate it to the other material in the course. 

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I found that the most valuable study resource was flash cards (Anki) and mind maps to visualise connections. Test 1 goes through the first 2 modules plus 2 pre module lessons. Test 2 only goes through the modules 3 & 4. Lastly the exam goes through all the content and module 5. I recommend regularly revisiting previous modules so that you're not overwhelmed getting into the final exam, as it tests course wide knowledge. I used summary notes for each lesson and broke down each process piece by piece as diagrams and mind maps to make sure I had a clear understanding of each process.

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Overall MEDSCI203 was a very engaging course with an online lesson format different from that of other courses. The tutorials and labs were very engaging and the content was digestible. 

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Lecture content

 

Premodule A
2 online lessons outlining the objectives and challenges of the study of disease. There is also an online review article assignment during this period. The format of each lesson is online and broken up into multiple videos per lesson detailing each process. 

 

 

Module A: Genetic Disease

• Tools of Molecular Pathology

• Mutations and Disease

• Testing for Genetic Disorders

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Module A is taught by Lynsey Cree and covers molecular methods used to identify human molecular pathology, types and mechanisms of molecular diseases, and the tests used to identify Genetic Disorders. Each module's content is further expanded within the tutorial and labs.

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Module B: Injury, Inflammation, Repair

• Cell Injury: Reversible effects

• Cell Injury: Irreversible changes

• Acute Inflammation: Blood flow

• Acute Inflammation: cytokines and cells

• Healing: Regeneration and repair

• Chronic inflammation: TB as an example

• Chronic inflammation: Focus on the liver

 

Module B is taught by Cherie Blenkiron, consists of 7 online lessons. This module details types of cellular injury and the outcomes associated with acute and chronic inflammation. Lab reports 1 and 2 are linked to these lectures.

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(Module A and B, and 2 pre-module A lessons are examined in Test 1) 

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Module C: Infection and Immunity

• Hypersensitivity

• Autoimmunity

• Mechanisms of bacterial infection

• Chronic infection and carcinogenesis

• Exotoxins and exoenzymes

• Acute inflammation and autoimmune disease

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Module C has its first 2 lessons taught by Christopher Hall, which outline different ways our immune system may harm us, mainly hypersensitivity and autoimmunity. The rest of the lessons are taught by Siouxsie Wiles, outlining infection and its mechanisms of disease.

 

Module D: Metabolic, cardiovascular disease

• Atherosclerosis

• Thrombosis and embolism

• Ischaemia and infarction

• Systemic hypertension and heart failure

• Obesity

• Diabetes

 

The first 3 lessons in module D are taught by Christin Print detailing cardiovascular pathology. Systemic hypertension and heart failure are taught by Nuala Helsby, and the last 2 lessons detailing metabolic pathology are taught by Peter Shepherd. Lab report 3 focuses on the metabolic diseases covered in this module.

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(Only Modules C and D are examined in Test 2)

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Module E: Abnormalities of Growth, Tumours

• Abnormal growth and differentiation

• Neoplasia

• Cancers as evolving populations

• Cancer cells: excessive birth rate

• Cancer cells: reduced death rate

• Cancer cells: invasion and angiogenesis

• Cancer cells: spread and metastasis

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The First two lessons in module E are taught by Nuala Helsby who teaches the types of abnormal tissue growth and the characteristics of neoplasms and neoplasia. The rest of the lessons are taught by Cherie Blenkiron, explaining the characteristics of cancer cells.

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(The Final exam covers module E and all previous lessons)

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Updated: 2025