Rural Pre-Medicine

BIOL 104: Biology I is a course designed for those students who require first year Majors biology in their program of study or who wish to go on to further study in biology. The course includes cell biology, biochemistry, and an examination of the processes of life in the plant and animal body. A strong emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking skills through problem solving, a scientific research proposal, and laboratory analysis.

ENGL 110: College Composition is about thinking and writing. You will learn how to develop and express informed opinions on issues that matter. You will also learn about research, editing, and expository and persuasive academic writing forms.

MATH 100: Calculus I is a course designed to provide students with the background in calculus needed for further studies. This course includes a review of functions and graphs; limits; the derivative of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions; applications of the derivative including related rates, maxima, minima, velocity and acceleration; the definite integral; an introduction to elementary differential equations; and applications of integration including velocity, acceleration, areas, and growth and decay problems.

PSYC 100: Introductory Psychology I is an introduction to the methods, theory and practice of psychology as a science. Among others, topics will include motivation and emotion, learning and memory, biological foundations, sensation and perception. Other topics are added at the discretion of the individual instructor. Class demonstrations and activities are used to illustrate concepts. Teaching methods and resources in the course vary with the instructor.

RPM 120: Rural Health Issues I is one-credit course designed to introduce students to the medical profession in general and the distinct challenges of rural physicians in particular. Information will be provided on pathways into the profession, preparation for application to medical school, the branches of medicine, and the work conducted by practicing rural physicians. The course will include field trips to various healthcare facilities and guest lectures from practicing rural physicians. Students will explore various facets of preparation for medical practice through small-group projects and presentations. Professionalism will be emphasized throughout the course.

The profession of rural physician will be introduced by way of invited speakers, tours, lectures, and discussions.

BIOL 106: Biology II. Along with BIOL 104 (Biology I), this course provides an overview of the study of living things. Biology 106 presents topics in population, community and ecosystem ecology, and classical and molecular genetics. Evolution provides a unifying theme for the course. A strong emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking skills through problem solving, case studies and laboratory investigation.

CHEM 125 Fundamentals of Chemistry II is the continuation for either CHEM 110 or CHEM 122. The course consists of two major units: physical chemistry and organic chemistry. The study of physical chemistry begins with an investigation of reaction rates (kinetics), followed by the principles of equilibria applied to pure substances and aqueous solutions, and an introduction to the laws of thermodynamics. The second major unit is a survey of the field of organic chemistry; topics include the physical and chemical properties of alkanes and alkenes, stereochemistry, and addition, substitution, and elimination reactions. The laboratory work involves the measurement of physical and chemical properties as well as chemical syntheses.

ENGL 111: Introduction to Literature is about living more intensely. Rather than providing answers, literature prompts us to ask better questions of ourselves and each other. Drama, poetry, short stories, and novels will guide us in discussion, reflection, and writing about literature.

MATH 101: Calculus II is a sequel to Math 100 for students who wish to major in science, math or engineering and includes the definite integral, applications of the definite integral to volume, arc length and surface area of revolution; inverse trig functions; techniques of integration; improper integrals; parametric equations and polar coordinates; linear first order differential equations; and an introduction to infinite series; convergence and power series; Taylor Polynomials.

PSYC 101: Introductory Psychology II covers topics include thinking and other cognitive processes, development of the individual, personality, mental disorders, health and social psychology. Other topics are added at the discretion of the instructor. Class demonstrations and activities are used to illustrate concepts. Teaching methods and resources in the course vary with the instructor.

RPM 121: Rural Health Issues II continues RPM 120's emphasis on the unique experiences and needs of rural health professionals. The course introduces students to the concept of inter-professional practice and to various communication skills needed for effective teamwork. Students will develop awareness and skills in respectful listening, compassionate communication, group process, and conflict transformation. Attention will also be paid to issues of social power and privilege, prejudice, discrimination, and what is required to overcome these.

BIOL 204:  Cell Biology provides the student with a thorough knowledge of cell structure and function. Topics covered include biomolecules, membranes, organelles, cell movement, cell signaling, gene regulation, and transcription and translation. Experimental techniques used in modern cellular and molecular biology are also introduced.

CHEM 212 Organic Chemistry I, explores the relationship between the structures of carbon-containing molecules and their physical and chemical properties. Some topics from 1st-year general chemistry are reviewed briefly: alkanes, stereochemistry, alkenes, and nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions of alkyl halides. The correlation between structure and acidity is investigated, and the chemistry of alkynes and alcohols is examined. Structure-determination techniques, including IR and NMR, are explored. The laboratory work for this course provides practical experiences with separation/purification techniques, molecular synthesis, and qualitative analytical methods applied to organic compounds.

CHEM 225 Physical Chemistry for Biosciences presents the basic concepts of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics that apply to biological systems. Students will explore why gases would behave differently at different conditions (e.g. deep sea diving, high altitude, other planets), how ideal engines function, why some reactions spontaneous, how do we explain the effect of salting roads in winter, how batteries and our metabolism generate energy, how kinetics is related to thermodynamics (why diamonds do not break down into graphene) and how we use of spectroscopy to explore biological structures. In the laboratory, quantitative properties of systems are measured, to illustrate the theory discussed in lectures.

SOC 120: Introduction to Sociology I introduces students to the discipline. The sociological perspective is examined, along with the associated concepts and methods. Attention is directed to major areas such as culture, socialization, stratification and deviance. Students have an opportunity to research topics of interest.

RPM 220: Rural Health Issues III builds on the skills and knowledge acquired in year-one RPM courses, with a special focus on social and economic determinants of health. The course also seeks to develop students' empathy, self-awareness, and respect for diversity.

ANTH 201: Ethnic Relations is an introduction to the comparative study of 'race' from local to international contexts. The course explores social stratification according to race and ethnicity and looks at the motivations and consequences of such classifications and their relationships to other forms of stratification.

BIOL 206: Introductory Biochemistry provides an introduction to biochemistry including protein structure and function, and representative catabolic and anabolic pathways. Topics covered include water, enzyme kinetics and enzyme structure and function. Experimental techniques used in biochemistry and molecular biology are also introduced.

BIOL 212 Introduction to Microbiology is a survey of the microbial world, with discussions of the medical and ecological significance of key organisms. The biology of micro-organisms (including bacteria and viruses) is a key focal point, but there will also be discussions of immunology and pathology. The laboratory component will build basic skills necessary to perform and interpret research in the fields of medical microbiology, industrial microbiology, environmental microbiology, immunology and virology. A basic knowledge of biology will be presumed, including basic cell biology, ecology, physiology, biochemistry and metabolism.

CHEM 213 Organic Chemistry II is a continuation of CHEM 212. The survey of organic families is continued with a study of aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acid derivatives, aromatics and amines. The chemistry of a variety of compounds of biological interest is also discussed. The laboratory work involves synthesis and organic structure determination.

RPM 221: Rural Health Issues IV builds on the skills and knowledge acquired in the preceding RPM courses. It focuses on issues related to rural health, in particular the way in which those issues affect the role and responsibilities of the rural health professional. This course further develops students' self-assessment and communication skills as well as provides preparation for interviewing with professional health programs.

ADD 384 Addictions Theory and Practice is designed to provide students with an overview of current and emerging research/expertise in the field. The course will cover diverse definitions and understandings of addiction, as informed by current findings in the fields of neuroscience and social science. Pharmacology basics and the biological, psychological, social, spiritual and environmental dimensions of addiction will be reviewed from a number of perspectives. Current research on attachment, trauma and brain development will be examined in relation to addiction from both developmental and environmental perspectives. A critical examination of the link between policy and practice provides context for the emergence of recovery strategies such as harm reduction and motivational techniques. Special attention will be given to the role of colonization and stigma as it is experienced through ethnicity, gender and culture, and the important role of advocacy in this context.

BIOL 164: Human Anatomy and Physiology I. This course provides an integrative approach to the normal structure and function of the human body. Repair and replication, structural support, nervous integration, movement and metabolism are examined at the cellular, tissue and system levels. Recent scientific discoveries are presented as a means of relating the systems studied to various applied disciplines including health care and Kinesiology.

BIOC 302: General Biochemistry builds on principles of biochemistry explored in BIOL 206. The biosynthesis of lipids, amino acids and nucleotides will be discussed. DNA, RNA and protein metabolic pathways will be explored, along with regulatory mechanisms. The laboratory component uses techniques introduced in BIOL 206 to study the fundamental components of cellular function.

PHIL 210: Biomedical Ethics explores ethical moral questions that arise in the context of healthcare. Students will engage with these questions by learning ethical theory and by studying challenging cases. They will outline the relevant features of real life examples, weigh moral considerations, and practice articulating recommendations about what to do. The course covers biomedical topics such as autonomy, informed consent, surrogate decision-making, traumatic brain injury, refusing care, medical assistance in dying, assisted reproduction, abortion, public health, organ donation, genetic screening and therapy, research and experimentation, rural medicine, and global health intervention. While this course is geared primarily to Rural Pre-Medicine students, it may be of interest to anyone concerned with biomedical research and healthcare.

PSYC 202: Research Methods. This course introduces prospective Psychology majors to the major methodological principles that guide research in Psychology. The primary focus is on experimental design, but students will be exposed to some elementary statistics. Topics include critical thinking and scientific reasoning, principles of measurement, types of variables, validity and reliability, and research ethics. Weekly labs offer hands-on applications of basic concepts to the design of research.

RPM 320 Rural Health Issues V builds on the communication skills learned and practiced in previous RPM courses. Throughout year 3 of the Rural Pre-Medicine Program, students will work on a health-related rural community applied research project, which may include local and international opportunities for experiential learning. In RPM 320, students will apply research knowledge and methodologies to create a community-based project proposal. Students will gain practical knowledge through a variety of hands-on skills such as teamwork, group facilitation, project planning and implementation, and teaching/learning.

ADMN 300 Small Business Management for Healthcare Professionals provides students with a variety of basic skills and knowledge that a self-employed health care professional will need in order to be successful in operating their business. Topics include management principles, law, accounting, taxation, financial planning, and human resource management.

BIOL 165: Human Anatomy and Physiology II is a continuation of Biology 164. This course covers the cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic, urinary and digestive systems. Endocrinology is discussed throughout as a means of integrating the various systems to the function of the body as a whole. The focus remains on application of knowledge gained in this course.

INDG 302: Indigenous Health and Healing introduces students to the topic of Aboriginal health and healing from the time prior to first contact with European newcomers through to the present. We will also focus on cultural awareness and critical thinking on current Aboriginal health and healing issues. Aboriginal health and healing will be explored from within a variety of Aboriginal perspectives that are inclusive of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of health and well-being. Skill-based training in cultural safety and anti-racism based on the recommendations and information provided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission results and the 'calls to action' will be emphasized. Aboriginal worldviews and 'ways of knowing' will be embedded in the course delivery as well as course content.

In RPM 321: Rural Health Applied Research Project, students will implement the health-related project proposals developed in RPM 320. Students will continue to consolidate hands-on skills such as team work, group facilitation, project planning and implementation, and teaching/learning.