Aims and learning outcomes

Aims

1.    to provide a course of study in mammalian, principally human, systems physiology, building on knowledge of basic physiological principles established in the Part IA Physiology of Organisms course;

2.    to expand on some areas touched on in 1A Physiology of Organisms and to introduce new and more complex physiological functions;

3.    to develop further practical biological skills introduced in 1A Physiology of Organisms;

4.    to prepare students for a number of Part II Natural Science courses, principally Physiology, Development & Neuroscience,  but also Pharmacology, Pathology and Zoology, among others.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course students should:

1.    have an enhanced knowledge and appreciation of mammalian physiology;

2.    understand the functions of important physiological systems including the cardio-respiratory, renal, reproductive and metabolic systems;

3.    understand how these separate systems interact to yield integrated physiological responses to challenges such as exercise, fasting and ascent to high altitude, and how they can sometimes fail;

4.    be able to perform, analyse and report on experiments and observations in physiology;

5.    be able to recognise and identify principal tissue structures.