Medicine and Surgery

General objectives of the integrated course The integrated course of Translational Medical Scientific Methodology and Human Sciences – Medical Informatics, in the second year of medical education aims to give the students the basic elements to understand the scientific reasoning (evaluating the hypotheses and interpreting the results). The student will study the fundamental concepts of basic epidemiology and sociology. The student will explore the concept of health according to the bio psychosocial model and the historical evolution of this concept as a fundamental human right. The student will study the theories about social determinants of health. The student should be able to evaluate environmental and community health problems. A part of the course will be devoted to the evolution of medical ethics. Essentials of communication science, evidence based medicine and the role of health economics in clinical decision making will be discussed. This course aims at providing students with basic knowledge of information technology and health information systems. Specific objectives of the integrated course Knowledge and understanding: The integrated course of Translational Medical Scientific Methodology and Human Sciences – Medical Informatics, in the second year of medical education aims to give the students the basic elements to understand the scientific reasoning (evaluating the hypotheses and interpreting the results). The student will study the fundamental concepts of basic epidemiology (and a basic demography), tobaccology, environmental hygiene, community medicine and sociology. The student will explore the concept of health according to the bio psychosocial model and the historical evolution of this concept as a fundamental human right. The student will study the theories about social determinants of health. The student will become able to analyze the medical history with particular attention to socio-economic and cultural factors. Epidemiology and medical statistics will be studied in more detail, introducing the concepts of probability, sampling, random variables, estimation of parameters, testing hypotheses, dependence between variables, use of the main statistical significance tests. The student should also know the essentials about occupational health (monitoring health, accidents and occupational diseases). A part of the course will be devoted to the evolution of medical ethics, from the Hippocratic oath to contemporary issues such as assisted conception, induced abortion, organ transplantation, euthanasia, advanced directives and self determination of the patient. This course aims at providing students with basic knowledge of information technology and health information systems. Applying knowledge and understanding: The student will learn how to evaluate health problems related to the environment and community, will have the basic elements to promote a preventive culture including smoking, will be able to identify social determinants of health (“weak” persons) and measure health status and quality of life. The student will analyze how the concept of health is defined by international agreements and the relationship between right to health and health policies. The student will study the most relevant aspects of the global burden of disease and the effects of globalization on health at local level. The student will become able to identify the relationship between health and development. The student should be able to evaluate environmental and community health problems, the main strategies for population prevention, social determinants of health (the "weaks"), and methods used to measure the state of the health of a population and the quality of life. There will be also discussion of current thoughts on everyday ethical issues, considering both the development of the doctor-patient relationship (information, consent, refusal of treatment) and the conditions that have led to the evolution of the idea of the right to health (rational use of resources, freedom of cure and care, guide-lines, pain therapy, end of life treatment and evidence based medicine). The goal of the informatics course is to teach technological and methodological concepts, in order to use appropriate information and communication technology and promote the use of systems and solutions that support the professional medical activity in the professional healthcare work environment. Making judgment: passing the exam implies the ability of appropriately judging and putting in context the basic elements to understand the scientific reasoning, the fundamental concepts of basic epidemiology, the concept of health according to the bio-psycho-social model. Communication skills: Essentials of communication science, evidence based medicine and the role of health economics in clinical decision making will be discussed. Learning skills: passing the exam implies mastering the ability to learn the basis of clinical reasoning, the evidence based medicine and the bio-psycho-social model.