New and Noteworthy iCourses

July 18, 2022

 

New University of Arizona Health Sciences online content includes topics ranging from immunobiology, to biomedical ethics, to human aging, to genetic medicine – and more. These iCourses are open to all UArizona graduate students (and in some cases, undergraduate students) and are conveniently offered in a fully online format, allowing students to join from wherever they have an internet connection. 

See below for a sampling of the online courses being offered for the Fall 2022 semester. Interested UArizona students can navigate to schedule.arizona.edu and search by subject and course number to review schedules and availability. Students should work with their advisor to understand how these courses may fit into their plan of study prior to registering.  

Not a current UArizona student, but still interested in participating in these courses? You can enroll in courses after you are admitted to the university as a non-degree seeking student.  

 

LAST UPDATED 7/18/2022


Seven Week – First Session (7W1): August 22 – October 12 

GHI  414/514   Intercultural Communication for Health Sciences 

3 units | Taught by Gabriela Valdez, PhD 

This course will examine how culture influences health communication. Students will gain an understanding of intercultural communication theories and will be able to apply them to become more effective health communicators. Students will gain skills to identify different variables as they relate to intercultural encounters such as values, assumptions, context, and audience. A variety of local and global contexts will be explored including health literacy, health promotion campaigns, healthcare interactions, global health collaborations, health identity, health research, health policy, and patient/provider interactions. Contact: gvaldez@arizona.edu 

 

CMM 533 Molecular Medicine 

1 unit | Taught by David Bear, PhD 

This course will provide pre-health science professions students (Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, Public Health) as well as students planning a career in biomedical research with a valuable background in the application of molecular biology to the understanding of the mechanisms of cancer, and cardiovascular, neurological and metabolic diseases.  The use of molecular techniques for disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment will be explored. Contact: beccav@arizona.edu  

 

ETH 500 Foundation of Bioethics 

1 unit | Taught by David Beyda, MD 

This course will explore the major theories in contemporary bioethics. Participants will learn the history and the application of principlism, casuistry, care ethics, and virtue ethics. The approach will use bioethics taking the student from philosophical concepts to the application of theory to key landmark cases in bioethics, and its relationship and interaction to the law and policies. Contact: mgittelm@arizona.edu  

 

ETH 506 Chronicle of Medical Ethics: Past and Present 

1 unit | Taught by Robert Kravetz, MD, FACP, MACG 

Medical ethics date back millennia and dealt primarily with the physician-patient relationship and ethical values. This course will identify contributions from various cultures and how they relate to the history of medicine. The seminal events that influenced the transition will be reviewed. These events led to the change from medical ethics to bioethics in 1960. Contact: mgittelm@arizona.edu 

 

IMB 402/502 Medical Microbiology Basics 

1 unit | Taught by Nafees Ahmad, PhD 

This course is designed for pre-health profession students (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health) as well as students planning a carrier in biomedical research. The course will present basic concepts in the areas of microbiology, including bacteriology, virology, mycology, and parasitology. It will also present the pathogenesis of medically important, viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases. In addition, it will provide vocabulary that is useful in approaching the medical literature. Contact: phaffner@arizona.edu 

 

CPH 557 Global Maternal Health: Cultural Perceptions and Policy Approaches 

3 unit | Taught by Priscilla Magrath, PhD  

This course examines historical and current global maternal health policies. We will explore how these policies are developed, implemented, and responded to by different stakeholders at global and local levels. Participants will be equipped with skills to critically appraise global maternal health policies in global settings and propose solutions to identified problems in policy implementation. Contact: mtearne@arizona.edu  


Five Week – First Session (5W1): August 22 – September 23 

CMM 427/527 Pathophysiology Basics 

1 unit | Taught by Yana Zavros, PhD 

This course is designed for graduate students and advanced undergraduates interested in pursuing a career in translational biomedical research and in the health professions.  The course will provide students with a foundational understanding of disease as a manifestation of disrupted physiology.  Course content will include introductory cell physiology and disruption of homeostatic maintenance in disease processes associated with hematologic, cardiovascular and immune system.  Principles will be illustrated using representative commonly occurring disorders and their treatments. Contact: beccav@arizona.edu 

 

MED  501 Human Aging: The Aging Experience 

1 unit | Taught by Mindy Fain, MD 

This introductory course sets the stage for a human and experiential understanding of aging and the life experience of older adults. Learning will take a practical, theoretical and humanistic look with emphasis on ageism, life course, person/environment interaction, autonomy, self-determination, inter-dependence, and inter-vulnerability. Contact: andrewsmith5@arizona.edu  

 

MED  511 Human Aging: Biological & Psychological Perspectives 

1 unit | Taught by Lorraine M Martin Plank , PhD, FNP-BC, NP-C, GNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP 

The focus of this course is on understanding aging as a biological and psychological phenomenon. Consideration will be given to biological explanations for how and why aging occurs and normal versus abnormal aging changes. Cognition as a biological and psychological phenomenon will be explored. Finally, psychological perspectives will be considered including stages of growth and development, and ability to recognize normal age changes in intelligence and cognitive abilities including those that may impact late-life functioning. Contact: andrewsmith5@arizona.edu 


Five Week – Second Session (5W2): September 26 – October 28 

CMM 428/528 Pathophysiology of Integumentary, Respiratory, and Digestive Systems 

1 unit | Taught by Yana Zavros, PhD 

This course is designed for advanced undergraduates interested in pursuing a career in translational biomedical research and in the health professions. The course will provide students with a foundational understanding of disease as a manifestation of disrupted physiology. Course content will include an overview of normal physiology of integumentary, respiratory and digestive systems, as well as disruption of homeostatic maintenance in disease processes associated with these organ systems. Principles will be illustrated using representative commonly occurring disorders and their treatments. This course is designed to complement CMM 448/548, Histology of Respiratory and Digestive Systems. Contact: beccav@arizona.edu 

 

MED  502 Human Aging: Ethical Considerations 

1 unit | Taught by David Beyda, MD 

This course will provide a high-level review of everyday ethics along with special attention to issues related to aging and older adults such as elder protection. Emphasis will be placed on professional standards, so students are able to distinguish between and communicate around ethical issues while working with older adults and their families. Contact: andrewsmith5@arizona.edu 

 

MED  512 Human Aging: Socio-cultural and Human Diversity Perspectives 

1 unit | Taught by Linda Phillips, RN, PhD, FAAN, FGSA 

This course is designed to assist students in exploring aging as a socio-cultural phenomenon. Sociological theories of aging will be explored. Life-course theory and ethnogerontological theory will be used to frame aging from the perspective of human diversity. Ways in which aging and the experience of aging differs based on gender, race, socio-economic status, and culture will be explored along with what these variations mean for working with older adults and their families. Contact: andrewsmith5@arizona.edu 


Seven Week – Second Session (7W2): October 13 – December 7 

CMM 535 Genetic Medicine 

1 unit | Taught by David Bear, PhD 

This course will provide pre-health science professions students (Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, Public Health) as well as students planning a career in biomedical research with a valuable background in the application of genetics to the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases. Contact: beccav@arizona.edu 

 

ETH 504 Applying Key Moral Theories to Issues in Global Ethics 

1 unit | Taught by David Beyda, MD 

Ethics is thought to be universal, yet when one explores ethics, principles, and moral theories, all seem to be guided by global culture, race, and even language. What then are the reasons? In this course, we will be doing a deep dive into the quagmire of confusion related to the diversity of ethics and moral theories. One can begin to see how individuality, bias, culture, and more identify a lack of commonality. Ethics, moral theories, and religion are intertwined and sometimes conflict with each other when culture serves as a foundation. Is it possible to recognize, understand and accept the blurring of ethics and moral theories related to cultural individuality? Contact: mgittelm@arizona.edu 

 

PHP  308 Community Health Education for Disease Outbreaks 

3 units | Taught by Gabriela Valdez, PhD 

This course—delivered in Spanish—focuses on building the foundation for selecting and applying community health education methods, becoming a health education professional, promoting multicultural diversity and social marketing concepts. This course is an overview of community health education and its role in improving the health of individuals and populations. This course highlights the importance of contact tracing to mitigate community transmission. This course teaches students to effectively communicate health education messages and positively influence the norms and behaviors of both individuals and communities. Practical guides in community health education will involve steps for implementing skills, tips and techniques for successful implementation, strategies for overcoming challenges, and expected outcomes. Contact: gvaldez@arizona.edu  

 

IMB 404/504 Medical Virology Basics 

1 unit | Taught by Nafees Ahmad, PhD 

This course is designed for pre-health profession students (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health) as well as students planning a carrier in biomedical research. The course will present basic concepts in the areas of human virology. It will also present the pathogenesis of medically important viral infectious diseases. In addition, it will provide vocabulary that is useful in approaching the medical literature. Contact: phaffner@arizona.edu  


Five Week – Third Session (5W3): October 31 – December 7 

CMM 429/529 Pathophysiology of Urogenital and Endocrine Systems 

1 unit | Taught by Yana Zavros, PhD 

This course is designed for graduate students and advanced undergraduates interested in pursuing a career in translational biomedical research and in the health professions.  The course will provide students with a foundational understanding of disease as a manifestation of disrupted physiology.  Course content will include an overview of normal physiology of urogenital and endocrine systems, as well as disruption of homeostatic maintenance in disease processes associated with these organ systems.  Principles will be illustrated using representative commonly occurring disorders and their treatments. This course is designed to complement CMM 449/549, Histology of Urogenital and Endocrine Systems. Contact: beccav@arizona.edu 

 

CMM 466/566 Microscopy for Biomedical Research 

1 unit | Sara Parker, PhD 

This course provides a basic introduction to how Light Microscopy is used in Biological and Biomedical Research. Students will learn fundamental topics in optical theory, how microscopes work and their history, types of brightfield and fluorescence microscopes, and the types of biological questions that can be answered using microscopes as a tool in research. The content will conclude with a discussion of image analysis and scientific ethics. Light microscopy is a ubiquitous tool in research and in medical practice, therefore, students pursuing many fields in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, and medicine will benefit from an understanding of this fundamental tool. This class is appropriate for students of all backgrounds and levels. For students that are actively engaged in research or planning to participate in research, CMM 465/565 (3 credits, Spring semester) is recommended for an in-depth exploration of topics and practical applications in Light Microscopy. Contact: beccav@arizona.edu 

 

MED  534 Human Aging: Spectrum of Supportive Services and Structures 

1 unit | Taught by Lisa O'Neill, DBH, MPH 

This course focuses on learning about and understanding the existing spectrum of healthcare and supportive services for older adults. Current challenges and opportunities will be discussed along with ideation around improvements and innovations in this space. Contact: andrewsmith5@arizona.edu 

 

CPH  535 Human Aging: Local and Global Challenges 

1 unit | Taught by Amanda Sokan, PhD, MHA, LL.B 

This course focuses on interdependence and inter-vulnerability shared by all humans with a special emphasis on the implications of these concepts for older adults. Additionally, opportunities to interact with, learn about and compare aging challenges around the world with local issues and opportunities will be explored. Contact: andrewsmith5@arizona.edu 

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