First year begins with Gross Anatomy lectures and laboratory consuming the largest portion of class time. The course is broken down by anatomical region, starting with the arms, proceeding to thorax, pelvis, and legs, and ending with the head and neck. You will learn embryology alongside the Gross Anatomy, and often, the two courses will overlap. Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry (MGB) is taught simultaneously. All of the courses in this first block of classes try to emphasize clinically relevant information.

Study resources

A variety of study resources is available for each course. PowerPoint slides are available online, as are transcripts and various computer tutorials. Students also use a range of supplemental texts for each course. As with all the resources that are mentioned in this section—particularly the textbooks—we have presented only a few of the more popular ones. Be aware that other resources may better fit your preferences and study style, and take the time to explore them.

For Gross Anatomy there are several books to choose from. You will receive packets of notes from the course director that must be supplemented by an atlas, the most popular of which is the Netter atlas. Moore’s Clinically Oriented Anatomy combines an atlas and textbook, with systematic diagrams that are helpful in preparing for case studies. You and your lab partners will use at least one copy of Grant’s Dissector, a book with schematic diagrams and directions to follow during labs. Some also like to use Rohen’s Color Atlas, a photographic atlas that shows actual dissections. To study for exams, many students use Netter’s flashcards as well.

For Embryology, there are printed notes which are also available online. Langman’s Embryology is the official text for the course. You can also find helpful animations on the course website.

For MGB, course notes are distributed for each segment of the class. Most students review lecture slides and transcripts, as lecture information is stressed on exams. College texts can be used for reference. Many students find Champe & Harvey’s Biochemistry (Lippincott) review book helpful in clarifying information through flowcharts and concise text.

This course lasts about one month and covers the cell cycle, membranes, intra/extracellular transport, and touches on some specific diseases in a small group case study format.

Study Resources

The recommended text for this course is Albert’s The Cell, but many find the course notes, slides, and transcripts suffice.

Histology addresses the microscopic structure and function of organs and tissues. Histology lectures point out relevant structures that help identify tissues. You will then go to lab and try and identify the same structures under a stereomicroscope. The exams have a written portion and a slide portion projected in an auditorium. Physiology addresses the function of organ systems. Lectures are usually given by clinical instructors, and case-based learning is encouraged. Exams are written in short-answer format. Course notes and printed Powerpoint slides are provided, and older students run small Q&A review sessions. Both courses are organized by system, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal and gastrointestinal, and endocrine and reproductive.

Study resources

There are several Histology atlases, although the officially recommended one is the Ross atlas. Many also find the online modules to be among the most useful tools for this course. Each online module contains labelled pictures and descriptions of the relevant structures. There are quizzes online as well.

For physiology, Boron’s Physiology is recommended by professors for its comprehensiveness, but Costanzo’s Physiology is widely recommended by students for its clarity and simplicity. Course instructors also recommend Costanzo’s Physiology Cases and Problems for practice before exams.

This final block begins by familiarizing you with normal neuroanatomy and also covers neurophysiology and cognitive neuroscience. The lab portion of the class includes a single practical exam, half of which involves identifying tagged structures on actual specimens (like in Gross Anatomy) and the other half of which involves identifying projected histological sections (as in Histology). You will also attend small group case discussions where you will deduce locations of lesions from given symptoms. There are three to four multiple choice exams.

Study resources

Woosley’s The Brain Atlas, recommended by the course instructors, is a slice-by-slice atlas useful for the practical as well as for understanding the pathways presented in lecture. Many students also value High Yield Neuroanatomy for its “big picture” approach and relevant practice cases.

This course runs concurrently with Brain and Behavior. Entertaining lectures are comprehensive and coincide seamlessly with the recommended text. The class is broken into smaller groups for one to two case studies, and the course’s two exams combine short-answer and essay formats.

Study resources

Course instructors recommend Parham’s The Immune System. The course’s PowerPoint slides and transcripts are also very clear.

Second year begins with the Host Defense Module, which consists of three components: Infectious Diseases, General Pharmacology, and General Pathology. Infectious Diseases includes Microbiology (bacterial infection), Parasitology, and Virology. General Pharmacology introduces the basic principles of drug metabolism and function. You also learn antibiotic and antiviral drugs relevant to the infectious disease you are studying. General Pathology covers a variety of topics such as; necrosis/ apoptosis, inflammation, cancer, and blood clotting.

Study resources

For this course and the remainder of second year, many students recommend buying Robbin’s Pathology, the official course textbook, although many others recommend using the online lecture slides and transcripts as their primary mode of studying. Many also find BRS Pathology useful for quickly summarizing and outlining the information.

This block covers Psychiatry and Neuropathology. You will learn about the various psychiatric disorders, including depression and schizophrenia. Neuropathology will cover topics such as Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injuries, and brain tumors.

Study resources

The recommended book for this course is Neuropathology through Clinical Cases. Though some find this book helpful, others feel that transcripts and online lecture slides are more efficient.

Throughout the majority of second year, you will progress through the various organ systems, learning about the pathology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology of each organ system. Below is a list of organ systems, approximate dates, and sampling of course content.

acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, rheumatic heart disease

asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer

hypertension, diabetic nephropathy, acute renal failure, inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, pancreatic disorders, hepatitis

diabetes mellitus, pituitary dysfunction, gestational pathology, reproductive dysfunction, reproductive oncology

osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculites, leukemia, lymphoma, skin cancer, psoriasis, warts