Co-Course Director
Louis Rapkin, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
louis.rapkin@chp.edu
Co-Course Director
Emily Geramita, MD
Department of Medical Oncology
geramitae@upmc.edu
Course Description
This course introduces students to the underlying pathophysiology and phenomenology of cancer, presenting basic approaches to assessment and management, of both blood and solid tumors.
Course Objectives
- Define the steps of cellular development in the bone marrow for red cells, white cells, and platelets.
- List the steps involved in primary and secondary hemostasis and describe the pathophysiology responsible for bleeding and thrombosis.
- Define common congenital and acquired causes of anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and pancytopenia; describe the underlying pathophysiology and justify the relevant diagnostic tests for each of these conditions.
- Define the common congenital and acquired causes of oncogenesis and describe the responsible pathophysiology, including aberrations in DNA synthesis, repair, and replication.
- Identify common presentations of common hematologic and oncologic diseases, including clinical findings and detection based on population level screening interventions.
- Apply a diagnostic algorithm to clinical scenarios to determine appropriate testing for diagnosing oncologic disease.
- List fundamental oncologic therapies and their mechanism of action.
- Acknowledge how financial status and implicit and explicit bias have impacted the care of low SES patients with hematologic and oncologic disease.
Educational Methods
- Case-based learning
- Small group workshops
- Patient presentations
- Self-study
- Review sessions
- Weekly assessments (Formative, Summative)
Assessment
Assessment for this course is based on a cumulative, graded Summative exam.
Requests for excused absences should be submitted via Elentra. Unexcused absences may result in grading penalties as outlined in the Policy on Absence and Attendance.