Teaching pathophysiology to medical students: present status and prospects

Abstract

Pathophysiology bridges the gap between basic medical sciences and clinical training by discussing the picture of disease as physiologic dysfunction. In some countries it is included in the regular curriculum of pregraduate medical teaching as a subject separate from other disciplines. Elsewhere it is part of a course known as clinical physiology or general pathology. In several places there is no desire to teach pathophysiology as a separate subject, the respective material being included in other branches of medical science. The course of instruction in pathophysiology consists usually of lectures, seminars, and practicals; tutorials and clinical demonstrations are added at some faculties. Experiments on live animals are still carried out and make the main body of the practical training in a number of countries. In Western Europe and North America, animal experimentation is being banned more and more from medical teaching; video pictures and computer-assisted learning programmes are proposed to replace experimental training which requires the use of animals. The view is generally taken that pathophysiology forms an essential part of medical education. Its status at medical faculties, however, varies the world over.