Dear Colleagues,
In response to Robert and Manas' comments, there is definitely an interest in a college level Histology course. I also agree with him that students need a foundation to establish a level playing field and allow them to "hit the ground running". My course has Anatomy & Physiology 1 and 2 (which I also teach) as a prerequisite, because it provides the organ level context for any study of tissues, as well as providing an initial chapter's worth of basic Histology. Every subsequent chapter then has histological components that build on this. Students come into Histology with the knowledge of what the tissues are doing throughout the body. Currently, my course covers normal histology and the lab component utilizes prepared slides, but as part of a departmental reorganization of 300 level courses, I have decided (and been encouraged) to make a "floating" Histology techniques course that will be given in a semester subsequent to the regular Histology course due to time constraints. This course will begin with training in fixation, dehydration, infiltration etc. They will then be tasked with taking a block of tissue from an experimental animal, histologically processing it and presenting their findings at the end of the semester. It will require a time investment for them beyond the scheduled course time. Conventional and immunohistochemical staining will be employed initially. I expect to eventually introduce a "mystery" pathological tissue and have the students determine what it is. Students that have taken the regular Histology course will be invited to take the techniques course if they are still on campus (they tend to be seniors). Students can still opt to take the earlier style "dry" course if they prefer.
There is definitely a desire among students that are planning graduate, veterinary and medical, technologist and allied health post graduate career paths that realize the value in taking Histology prior to embarking on those paths. Past students currently enrolled in med and vet schools have contacted me and told me how valuable their experience in my course has been to them. I have no trouble filling the course. I do use any and all virtual slide repositories to supplement the hands on laboratory work with prepared slides and I am enthusiastic about an AAA sponsored slide repostitory. They have been very enthusiastic about the prospect of a laboratory course to the point that I believe the only limitation will be the amount of equipment and space I can accumulate.
It is well worth the contact hours if you have them!
Larry
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Lawrence Hurd
Assistant Professor of Biology
Westfield State University
Westfield MA
413-572-8271
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-19-2014 10:48
From: Manas Das
Subject: Let's get going again with exchanging ideas!!
Dear Colleagues,
I am the course director for Medical Histology and I must admit we don't have the time issue (for the most part) anymore since we switched to the virtual lab and have spread the course into system blocks. Our curriculum comprises two foundations blocks to start with followed by system blocks. Histology of each system now is taught in collaboration with the pathology of the system (usually the same week). However, we do teach general histology (four basic tissues) in the foundation 1 block - and I agree with Mike - students without a background struggle with Histology while they are paying more attention (for good reasons) to the giants of the block - Anatomy (part of which I teach) and Biochemistry.
I have always wondered if I could introduce a College-level Histology course in our University but have backed off since we do not have a 'wet lab' - but with Mike's idea of running such a course utilizing the virtual resources is leading me to reconsider. I think a graduate level Histology course would work wonders for students in the foundation block (for both General Histology and General Pathology). If I could introduce such a course, as a member of the medical admissions committee, I would strongly recommend the course as a prerequisite to apply for med school.
Manas
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Manas Das, MD
Course Director: Medical Histology and Human Embryology
Sanford School of Medicine, University of SD
Vermillion, SD
714-454-0677
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