Principles of Human Physiology

The year-one MD Program curriculum at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison includes a course called Principles of Human Physiology.

Overarching Course Goals for Principles of Human Physiology

• Provide knowledge base and understanding of the physiological processes underlying health and disease in the major organ systems of the body, i.e., cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems
  
  
• Provide knowledge base and understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of physiological processes, in order to provide a foundation for understanding therapeutics and drug targets in subsequent courses
  
  
• Integrate knowledge and concepts from various organ systems to arrive at integrated function in the human body, e.g., maintenance of blood gas levels; responses to stresses such as exercise; regulation of fluid volumes and compositions; digestion, distribution and storage of foodstuffs; reproduction
  
  
• Provide practical experience in the application of physiological principles to diagnose disease states in the primary organ systems of the human body
  
  
• Provide sound footing in physiological principles and knowledge in preparation for future applications in systems pathophysiology courses focused on cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems (including human reproduction)