This is an introductory course in general physiology that covers the fundamental concepts and principles of human physiology. This course is designed to introduce and familiarize first-year medical students with all organ systems by studying their functionality at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels of organization, the overarching theme of the course will be that of systems integration. We will initially investigate how individual organ systems function as standalone functional units. As the semester progresses, we will integrate our understanding of these systems to build a picture of the organism level of organization.
The course is designed to provide the students with basic knowledge of homeostasis, the internal environment, and examples of homeostasis mechanisms of major body systems. It will also cover the physiology of body fluids and electrolytes, the renal system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, respiratory system, endocrine glands, the reproductive system, the physiology of nerve and muscle, including membrane potential, action potential, nerve fiber excitability, muscle contraction, and impulse transmission across the synapse and neuromuscular junction, and finally the physiology of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous systems.