Description
The course ‘Applied electrophysiology for exchange students’ is offered in the first semester of year 2 and runs in parallel with the ‘Immunology’ course. It covers cardiac electrophysiology using a clinically oriented, practical approach and can be followed prior to the second year course ‘Physiology, Basic Concepts’ in which electrophysiology is also a theme, but focussing on more basic (sub)cellular processes. Students will focus on understanding how electrophysiological processes in the heart result in a body surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and the interpretation thereof. Students will be able to record an ECG and determine whether the ECG indicates cardiac abnormalities. Students also write a short paper in English on a related electrophysiological subject.
Course objectives
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
describe the processes that generate an ECG
record an ECG and establish the quality of the recording;
distinguish normal from abnormal ECGs;
recognise the main cardiac arrhythmias;
detect important cardiac pathologies (myocardial infarction, hypertrophy).
Mode of instruction
Lectures, work groups, practicals and presentations.
Assessment method
Assignment (20%) and paper (80%).
Reading list
J.R. Levick. An introduction to Cardiovascular Physiology,
o Ch. 3.3 – 3.10
o Ch. 4
o Ch. 5
Information for exchange students
This module is part of an English taught semester of the bachelor’s programme in Biomedical Sciences at Leiden University Medical Center. Combining biomedical modules with modules from other programmes in Leiden is difficult or impossible due to different scheduling schemes. Exchange students* with sufficient relevant background knowledge in biology/biomedicine are therefore encouraged and advised to choose the entire module package indicated below (September – end of December 2015).
Immunology (BW), 8 EC
Pathogen-Host Interactions part 2, 3 EC
Infection and Immunity in Practice, 3 EC
Physiology, Basic Concepts, 8 EC
Communication in Science for Exchange students, 1 EC
Biomedical Academic Scientific Training for Exchange Students, 3 ECTS
Applied Electrophysiology for Exchange students, 2 ECTS
*, the modules are obligatory for students from the Karolinska Institute that attend the curricular exchange programme