Time Schedule:
Catrin Pittack
B STR 301
Seattle Campus
Survey of systemic human anatomy, including human skeletal system, muscular system, respiratory system, circulatory system, nervous system, digestive system, endocrine system, urinary system, and reproductive system. For second-, third-, and fourth-year undergraduates. Offered: Sp.
Class description
Biostructure 301 - Survey of Human Anatomy - introduces the student to human anatomy. The course includes gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, and histology -- with functional correlates coming from medicine, physiology, cell biology, and pathology. The structure of the human body -- at all levels of organization - and how it relates to function, is the central theme of the course.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Lecture (Tuesday 3:30-4:50, Wednesday 1:30-2:50, Thursday 3:30-4:20)and weekly OPTIONAL review session run by teaching assistant. Note that exams are on Tuesday and Wednesdays.
Recommended preparation
Regular attendance in the class is extremely useful, as the goal in lecture will be to gain a deeper understanding of the material presented in the text. Anatomical models (the plastic kind!), numerous illustrations and discussion initiated by the instructor and the students will be used to clarify topics. Some of these illustrations used in lecture cannot be found in the text. It is also very beneficial to ask questions during lecture in order to clarify information as well as to generate discussion.
It is recommended that students in this class have strong study skills as the exams will test you on your basic knowledge of anatomy as well as require you to integrate several concepts presented in the text and lecture. One goal of this class is to teach the student to "think about" and "learn" human anatomy instead of just memorizing it.
In order to "learn" human anatomy, students should come to class having already prepared for the material that will be discussed that day. Preparation for class involves briefly reading the text and lecture objectives before class in order to familiarize yourself with the general concepts and terminology of the system to be discussed. In order to encourage students to keep up with the workload, there will be at least 6 on-line quizzes to take that summarize the main concepts learned that week. Taking notes and asking questions during class and reviewing the material after each class are key to learning the anatomy.
Although it is not a prerequisite, it is useful for students to have some knowledge of cell biology and physiology before taking this class.
Class assignments and grading
There are 4 non-cummulative multiple choice exams during the quarter. The 4th exam is during exam week but is also non-cummulative. In addition there will be 6 on-line multiple choice quizzes that emphasize functional anatomy through clinical cases.
Students are expected to keep up with the assigned readings and lecture material on their own.
Required textbook for the class - Human Anatomy (Saladin, 1st Edition) - is available at the bookstore. In addition, students are required to have an interactive CD-ROM Anatomy & Physiology Revealed, also available at the bookstore.
Final grades are based on students scores on 3 out of 4 exams and 6 on-line quizzes. When calculating final grades, the score on the lowest exam will be dropped.
Exams will consist of 50 multiple-choice and matching type questions for a total possible score of 100 points. Exams are given about every 3 weeks and are not cummulative (covering only the material since the previous exam). Note that because students can drop their lowest exam score, there are NO MAKE UP EXAMS in this course. Should a student miss an exam for any reason (including illness), that exam becomes their lowest score and is dropped.
On-line quizzes (6 total) will be given during the quarter usually at the end of the week. Each quiz will focus on material from the lectures and assigned readings for that week. Quizzes will be worth 10 points each. These weekly quizzes are designed to encourage students to keep up with the large amount of material in order to avoid cramming before the exam. Quizzes are available on-line through UW Catalyst and are open book, open note.
In order to help me assess how much anatomy students know at the beginning of the course and how much they understand at the end of the course, I will be giving 2 in class multiple choice surveys - one during week 1 and one during week 10 of the course. Upon completion of each survey, students will receive 5 points (10 total). Note that these surveys are not graded, students need only complete them in order to receive the 5 points per survey.
Final grades for the class will be based on total points from 3 exams, 6 quizzes and 2 in class surveys.
