KU Medical Center Graduate Studies Courses

The following KU Medical Center Graduate Studies courses are offered for graduate credit.

KU Medical Center Graduate Studies Courses

GSMC 750 Professional Writing (4). This class is intended for graduate students who are in the early stages of their degree programs and who need to hone their reading and writing skills. It will help students learn the skills they need to read course materials and write papers for graduate courses. Students will read and analyze the structures of texts and will first be asked to write summaries and summary critiques. In order to accomplish this, they will need to learn first and foremost to paraphrase original texts. They will write investigative reports that set up final research papers or reviews. These final papers will be argument, problem-solution, or evaluative papers in which they will be asked to integrate material from readings around a central argument, comment on data or ideas and critique primary sources. Emphasis will be placed on learning to cite and quote primary materials, organize the content logically, and improve English grammar and usage. In conferences, students will receive feedback on the content, organization, and cohesion of papers. Grammar/editing tutorials will be a required component of the course. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. LEC

GSMC 800 Scientific Communication (2). Effective use of language to communicate scientific ideas and concepts. Topics include: Intense use of the English language for scientific communication both written and verbal; emphasis will be placed upon verbal; proper pronunciation, grammar, sentence organization, and word choice. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor. LEC

GSMC 803 Introduction to Clinical Research (1). Course will provide a comprehensive overview to clinical research. The student will gain an understanding of how to develop clinical research questions including protocol design and the factors that should be considered in initiating a clinical research study. This will include biostatistical considerations, the recruitment of study participants, regulatory issues, and data management, and defining measures and instruments. Students will gain knowledge of how to define clinical research among the various institutional entities involved with clinical research at the University of Kansas Medical Center such as the Research Institute (RI), General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) and the Human Subjects Committee (HSC). Additionally, one component of the course will focus on how to apply for funding (grantsmanship), critical appraisal of research studies, and how to present research data. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor. LEC

GSMC 808 Scientific Communication (0). This course is limited to non-native English speaking students who need to improve the use of the English language for both written and verbal scientific communication; emphasis will be placed upon listening and reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and writing academic essays. Students will attend a weekly lecture and complete written homework and lab assignments. Students will also take a final exam. Class size will be limited to 20 students. Prerequisite: Permission of the Instructor. LEC

GSMC 835 Grammar for Scientific Communication (0). This course is limited to nonnative English speaking students who need to improve the use of the English language for both written and verbal scientific communication; emphasis will be placed upon grammar, punctuation, listening and reading comprehension, vocabulary, pronunciation, and writing academic essays. Students will attend two weekly lectures and complete written homework and lab assignments. Students will be given an exam at the end of each part of the textbook and will also take a final exam. Class size will be limited to 20 students. Prerequisites: Permission of the Instructor. LEC GSMC 840 Clinical Observation in Health Care for Bioengineers (3). This course requires a 6 hour time commitment each week over the semester. During each weekly session the student will observe various medical practitioners in specific health care environments. The course gives the bioengineer an opportunity to see the inside of medical practice and exposes students to medical questions and challenges that could provide opportunities for engineers to contribute to the improvement of medical practice. Each student must select a concentration for this course from a health care specialty depending on availability. Some specialty options might include: Orthopedic, Radiology, Cardiology, Physical Therapy, etc. Grading will be pass/fail based on participation and journal keeping. PREREQUISITES: Graduate engineering standing, Consent of instructor. LEC

GSMC 850 Proteins and Metabolism (2). This course is the first of four lecture units in the first year curriculum of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. It will cover basic principles of metabolism, protein structure and an introduction to nucleic acids. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Students must co-enroll in GSMC 852 (Introduction to Biomedical Research). LEC

GSMC 851 Molecular Genetics (2). This course is the second of four lecture units in the first year curriculum of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. It will cover basic principles of molecular genetics, DNA replication, DNA repair, transcription and translation. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Students must co-enroll in GSMC 852 (Introduction to Biomedical Research). LEC

GSMC 852 Introduction to Biomedical Research I (2). This is the first semester of a one year series in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. The course is composed of weekly meetings to discuss research problems, methods and current literature. The course will interface with the lectures and students will learn to critically evaluate our scientific knowledge base. The students will be introduced to the tools that are available to obtain and evaluate information. The students will be challenged to identify areas of our scientific knowledge that require further experimentation and clarification. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Students must co-enroll in GSMC 850 (Proteins and Metabolism) and GSMC 851 (Molecular Genetics). LEC

GSMC 853 Cellular Structure (2). This course is the third of four lecture units in the first year curriculum of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. It will cover basic principles of cellular structure and function. Topics include the lipid bilayer, membrane proteins, and cellular organelles. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Students must co-enroll in GSMC 850 (Proteins and Metabolism) and GSMC 855 (Introduction to Biomedical Research). LEC

GSMC 854 Cell Communication (2). This course is the fourth of four lecture units in the first year curriculum of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. It will cover basic principles of cell communication. Topics include G-protein-coupled signaling, cellular sytoskeleton; cell cycle control; cell death; extracellular matrix; and cancer. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Students must co-enroll in GSMC 855 (Introduction to Biomedical Research). LEC

GSMC 855 Introduction to Biomedical Research II (2). This is the second semester of a one year series in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. The course is composed of weekly meetings to discuss research problems, methods and current literature. The course will interface with the lectures and students will learn to critically evaluate our scientific knowledge base. The students will be introduced to the tools that are available to obtain and evaluate information. The students will be challenged to identify areas of our scientific knowledge that require further experimentation and clarification. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Students must co-enroll in GSMC 853 (Cellular Structure) and GSMC 854 (Cell Communication). LEC

GSMC 856 Introduction to Research Ethics (1). The objective of this course is to introduce students to research ethics. Students will learn and discuss some of the following areas of ethics in research: 1) sources of errors in science, 2) Scientific Fraud, 3) plagiarism and misrepresentation, 4) conflicts of interest, and 5) confidentiality. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Students must be admitted into the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences. LEC