A Noble Cause

Have you envisioned becoming a doctor, nurse, or researcher? Decide if you have what it takes for that dream to become a reality by studying in the health and medicine program. Take a general overview of the field and then supplement it with your own choice of specialization: Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience, Nursing, Oncology, or Sports Medicine. Whether you see yourself as a humanitarian alleviating human suffering or as a researcher seeking a cure for mankind’s most feared diseases, this program will diagnose your interest in a health and medicine career. Clinical examples from different areas of the health sciences will be drawn into discussions to illustrate the concepts.

Possible Field Trips: Jackson Memorial and Miami Children's Hospitals

Prerequisite(s)

* Course numbers, names, and credit awarded is subject to change.

All Students

Choose one of the following:

Infectious Diseases

Earth’s Infectious diseases (ID)--the topic fills the headlines of daily newspapers: "AIDS Treatment Breakthrough," "Chlamydia Infection Linked to Heart Disease," "STDs on the Rise Among America's Youth." Learn what it takes to be a disease detective hunting down cures for deadly viruses and bacteria--especially those responsible for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Get an inside look into the workings of the renowned National Institute of Health, from the technological advances in lab research to the latest in patient care management. You'll get down to the cellular level to see genetic changes as the virus genome evolves due to drug resistance.

 

Neuroscience

NEU100 - Introduction to Neuroscience (3)

One of the most exciting research areas today concerns how the brain functions – the processes responsible for memory, emotion, and learning, and especially how it responds to injury and disease. Get an insider’s look at the Lois Pope LIFE Center. It’s home to The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, the world’s largest, most comprehensive research center dedicated to discovering treatments, and ultimately, a cure for spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injury. Meet researchers who’ll show you state-of-the-art tools and techniques used in break-through research: biochemistry, molecular biology, electrophysiology, electron microscopy, high throughput microscopy, and image analysis. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of different types of stem cells.  Experts in the field will show you how the latest rehabilitation strategies have evolved from understanding how the brain develps.

 

Nursing

Imagine yourself working in the fast paced areas of the emergency room, the intensive care unit of the operating room. See what contemporary nursing is all about. Discover the art and science of nursing with coursework and field trips to hospitals and clinics. Experience the different roles of the professional nurse in America: the professional registered nurse, the nurse practitioner, the nurse midwife and clinical specialist. Explore how these professionals are actively involved in health promotion throughout a person’s lifespan. Is pediatrics your thing or do you enjoy the elderly? Whatever the age group, there are endless opportunities awaiting you in this dynamic field.

Oncology

Get inside information on the efforts of UM’s renowned principal investigators (PI’s) to improve early detection methods, the development of new diagnostic laboratory assays and techniques, and the impact research is having on disease prognosis.See how normal and cancer cells are interrogated by the PI’s technicians so they yield information on their DNA cycle status as well as their chemotherapeutic drug resistance capabilities. Learn how scientific findings in various areas of research are significant, and how their efforts translate into better quality of life for the patient and possibly bring us closer to finding a cure.

 

Sports Medicine

ESS105 - Introduction to Sports Medicine (3)

You now find certified athletic trainers providing medical coverage at most sporting events. These allied health professionals work closely with others in the medical community to provide quality health care to the physically active.Students will not only gain insight into the very exciting field of athletic training, but willalso be exposed to other related specialty areas such as biomechanics, nutrition and physiology. Learn to identify basic sport injuries and review simple treatment methods. Discover how nutrition, improper biomechanics and poor training can all impact sport performance. Identify and palpate different anatomical structures and they will have the opportunity to learn and practicevarious taping and bracing techniquesdesignedto minimize the incidence of athletic injuries.