Oxford Summer Courses
16 Turl St, Oxford, OX1 3DH
www.oxfordsummercourses.com
OXFORD SUMMER COURSES IN INDIA
Course Outline - Medicine
Course Outline – This course will offer students the opportunity to explore the fields of
medical practice, research, and ethics, by developing the skills required by doctors and using them
to approach medical case studies. Students will be introduced to medicine as a broad area of study
which has a number of diverse roles for future doctors, and will have the opportunity to consider
their own strengths and motivation for pursuing a career in medicine.
Introduction to Course – The study of Medicine requires a wide spectrum of academic
skills:
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Practical: case-based learning, and understanding how to work with patients and different
researchers and practitioners
Theoretical: the science behind key medical concepts, anatomy, and the function of the
body’s main systems
Problem solving: how research and trials are conducted and evaluated via a combination of
practice and theory
Analysis: from reviewing others’ research to debating medical issues
This course will give you an insight into how a doctor’s work utilises all of these skills by applying
them to complex science, real-life case studies, and current medical dilemmas.
Day 1
Introduction
Welcome, introduction of tutor and students, introduction of course structure and learning goals
Lesson topic & activities
Life as a doctor
 A day in the life of a doctor: is there such thing as a “normal” day?
 Your questions and answers: what do you want to know about a career in medicine?
Pre-course assignment review
Day 2
Lesson topic & activities
Working with patients
 The basics of history taking: how do you work out what’s wrong?
 The essentials of how to approach and handle patients
 Consent, infection control, systematic approaches, bedside examinations
This topic will give you a strong context to which you can apply more complex scientific and
medical concepts. Solving problems is at the heart of what doctors in any field do, but how do you
isolate a problem in the first place?
Homework/extension activities
Oxford Summer Courses Limited. Registered in England and Wales Number: 08011543
2
Reading: The Hippocratic oath and the ethics of medicine - Miles, Steven H. 2004 | Oxford : Oxford
University Press
Day 3
Lesson topic & activities
Technology and Research in Medicine
 Research and technology are essential to the development of modern medicine: what are
the most historical developments in medicine which have an impact on our daily lives in
2017?
 Where are research and technology leading us for the future? How new medicines, novel
diagnostic tests, and life-saving devices are developed.
 The process of conducting a research trial: what are the challenges and obstacles which
medical researchers have to negotiate?
 An introduction to medical ethics: this will be explored in greater detail on day 4.
Homework/extension activities
Independent research: 21st century medical innovations. Choose a development in modern medicine which
interests you and familiarise yourself with the basics: what problem did it set out to solve, who/where
developed and researched it, and how successful has it been? This will help you begin to plan for your group
work assignment.
Day 4
Lesson topic & activities
Medical Ethics
This class will involve discussion around some of the most debated topics in modern medicine, and
students will be encouraged to consider their opinions in terms of modern medical research.
Discussions will promote critical thinking in students and enhance their ability to analyse medical
issues from multiple perspectives. Topics will include:
 Genetic-based medicine
 Euthanasia/assisted-suicide
 Animal testing
 Cognitive-enhancing drugs
 Sale of human organs
Homework/extension activities
Group work session
Day 5
Lesson topic & activities
The Cardiovascular System
 How does the heart maintain its blood supply?
 How does the cardiovascular system vary in the bodies of children, the elderly, or
Olympic athletes?
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How can we detect undetectable heart conditions? What kinds of heart condition are
inherited or developed?
The Respiratory System
 Spirometry: how can we measure lung function?
 How does lifestyle affect the respiratory system and its susceptibility to disease?
 How would you treat a condition which affects the heart and lungs in different ways?
Students will learn about six areas of human anatomy: the organs’ scientific functions; the
conditions and diseases which affect them; and how their function can be measured, adapted, and
treated.
Homework/extension activities
Gray’s anatomy for students - Drake R, Vogl W & Mitchell A 3rd Revised ed 2015 Churchill
Livingstone ISBN 978-0702051319
Day 6
Day trip – no teaching
Day 7
Lesson topic & activities
The Nervous System
 How are nerves and synapses structured?
 How does the brain coordinate the body’s functions?
 What happens when nerves do not work as they are meant to? (Motor Neurone Disease,
Parkinson’s Disease)
 How can drugs interact with nerves and affect their function?
The Immune System
 What are the different sub-divisions of the immune system?
 How does the body respond to foreign microbes?
 What keeps the immune system healthy?
 Can the immune system be harmful to the body?
Homework/extension activities
Group Work session
Day 8
Lesson topic & activities
The Renal System
 How do the kidneys function? What can prevent a kidney from functioning properly?
 The mechanics of a kidney transplant: how can a single kidney perform the function of two
kidneys?
 How does dialysis work?
4
The Digestive System
 How does diet contribute to gastrointestinal disorders?
 What is the difference between intracellular and extracellular digestion?
 How does the liver regenerate itself?
Day 9
Lesson topic & activities
Global Health
In this class, students will be able to apply their knowledge of ethics and anatomy to health problems
across the world: whether infectious diseases such as malaria or non-infectious diseases such as
diabetes. Considering health on an international scale offers an interesting perspective on how
resources and research should be prioritised. Global health is becoming an increasingly important
element of medical training, and its thorough study enables physicians to be ready to practise in any
context. Topics will include:
 Ebola
 Zika virus
 Bird flu
 Malaria
 Cholera
 Obesity and diabetes
Homework/extension activities
Group Work session: students should be finishing preparations for their group presentation on Day 10
Day 10
Final preparation for group presentations
Group presentation
Group work & presentation
The Future of Medicine
Students will work in groups to identify a pressing medical issue and consider how they would go
about treating or curing it. Groups should consider:
 The pathology of the condition or issue
 Who, where, and how the condition affects patients
 The history of efforts to treat it, and any significant developments over time (is your issue a
relatively new phenomenon, or is research from 1900 still helpful in 2017?
 What is your plan for improving treatment and survival rates? This could be anything from a
public health awareness campaign to a brand new vaccination or method of surgery.
 What would be the challenges you would face if you carried out your plan? Are there any
ethical, economic, or technological dilemmas which would present themselves?
 How would you measure your plan’s success? Would you want to eradicate a disease
entirely, make treatment more accessible, or pioneer a new surgery technique?
Thematic Workshop
Medical Ethics in Action
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You do not have to be a doctor to have strong opinions on medical ethics, or be affected by ethical
decisions. This workshop will be centred around a debate on a pressing ethical issue (TBA) which
affects medicine in modern India. Medicine students will act as “medical advisers” to their peers