Overview
This halfminor covers multiple disciplines in which the immune system plays a major role, such as in medical microbiology, neurology, rheumatology, pulmonology, and nephrology. Furthermore, more ubiquitous topics such as allergy, transplantation, auto-immunity and innovative therapies are discussed. In the first two weeks of this half-minor, an introduction to the immune system by immune-mediated diseases will be given. Afterwards, the different disciplines and their relations with immunology will consecutively be taught. The last day of the course, students present a Grant proposal poster for an innovative therapy.
Learning goals
The student is able to:
Take a patients’ history in order to examine whether (s)he suffers from an immunological disorder (Medical expert)
Perform independently literature research based on a specific patient casus and select three relevant papers to analyse and report the immunological background of the patient casus in detail (Academic)
Explain and determine by knowledge obtained from lectures and literature the pathogenic mechanism(s) underlying the symptoms of a patient diagnosed with an immunological disorder
Relate the mechanism of disease of a systemic auto-immune disease to organ specific involvement by understanding the defect immune components related to the disorder
Create a diagnostic plan by evaluation of immunological laboratory techniques based on a differential diagnosis and motivate why these techniques are appropriate to be able to diagnose the patient correctly (Academic)
Interpret results from diagnostic tests and subsequently translate these results to potentially underlying immunological diseases
Develop a therapeutic plan based on results from diagnostic tests and corresponding diagnosis and describe the method to check the effect of the intervention (Medical expert)
Formulate and communicate clearly in collaboration with other students following another ½ minor the imbalance between the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ immune system in a specific patient casus and develop a therapeutic plan with groups of therapeutics to manipulate the immune system in order to reach a balance again (Communicator, Collaborator)
Education styles: lectures, workgroups, practicals, patient demonstrations, peer-teaching, self-study
Assessment
Summative assessment plan consists of:
Knowledge exam
The knowledge exam consists of 10 open questions
Rating: Mark 1-10
Assessment form: Mark fixed depending on the number of right answered questions.
Assessed by: Minor teachers
Assessment criteria: N/A
Report immunological mechanism behind disease
In Week 7, the students should combine all knowledge obtained in previous weeks by writing individually a report (2000-2600 words) on a specific immunological disease (MG, SLE, aHUS, Allergy; received in Week 3).
Assessment: Mark 1-10
Assessed by: One minor teacher and two specialists
Assessment criteria: see module book
Grant proposal
A pair of students will write an original research grant proposal for the development of an innovative therapy
in an immunological context. Students should formulate their research proposal based on current literature, new data, tempting viewpoints, and will be supervised by recurrent interaction with their respective tutors. On the symposium organized on the last day of the half minor each group of two students will present their proposal by a poster presentation.
Rating: mark 1-10
Assessed by: One minor teacher and two specialists
Assessment: The grant proposal will be evaluated based on the written report, the poster presentation at the final symposium, and involvement in the discussion at the symposium. The mark for the poster presentation will be an average of the evaluation of half minor tutors and the mark from the assigned personal tutor(s) (1:1 ratio). The students will also evaluate and rank all the posters using a written anonymous form. The poster with the highest rank will receive a poster award.
Assessment criteria: use of immunological knowledge into novel concepts, innovation, creativity, collaboration, communication, writing skills, presentation.
It is not allowed to choose the same topic as the topic of the report on immunological mechanisms behind disease (Week78).
Calculation overall mark
Open question exam = 10% of the final mark
Report immunological mechanism behind disease= 30% of the final markGrant proposal (report, poster and presentation) = 40% of the final mark
Additional requirements nr. 4-7 = all 5% of the final mark
Additional requirements
1. Diagnosis report in Week 1-2
Assessment: Passed/Failed
Assessed by: Minor teacher Week 1-2.
Assessment criteria: Individual report to show understanding of immunology and diagnosis for selected case studies according to strict guidelines. This assignment is a preparative assignment for the report of week 8.
2.Oral presentation Laboratory in Week 1-2
Assessment: Passed/Failed
Assessed by: Diagnostic test teacher Week 1-2.
Assessment criteria: Short oral presentation to show understanding of the application and principle of a dedicated set of clinical tests.
3.Oral presentation patient casus in Week 3
Assessment: Passed/Failed
Assessed by: Medical specialist of the casus
Assessment criteria: Being able to prepare a clear presentation in a group of max. 5 students about the immunological mechanisms and diagnostic tools at the end of Week 3.
4.Written report Neurology in Week 5
Assessment: Mark 0-10
Assessed by: Neurologist
Assessment criteria: Being able to collaborate, prepare in a group of max 5 students a written review report about one neuroimmunological disease. Students with the case MG for the written report of Week 7 have to choose another disease this week.
5. Oral presentation Rheumatology in Week 9
Assessment: Mark 0-10
Assessed by: Medical specialist of the corresponding week.
Assessment criteria: Being able to collaborate, prepare a clear presentation with literature and knowledge obtained previously, present clear, answer questions. Students with the case SLE case for the written report of Week 7 have to choose another disease this week.
6.Oral presentation Pulmonology in Week 6
Assessment: Mark 0-10
Assessed by: Medical specialist of the corresponding week.
Assessment criteria: Being able to collaborate, prepare a clear presentation with literature and knowledge obtained previously, present clear, answer questions. Students with the case Allergy case for the written report of Week 8 should have to another disease this week.
7. Written report Nephrology in Week 8
Assessment: Mark 0-10
Assessed by: Medical specialist of the corresponding week.
Assessment criteria: Prepare individually a clear written report about one biological with literature and knowledge obtained previously.
Presence
Absence has to be communicated in advance to the tutors of the half minor as well as to the tutor of the specific module. Presence during the complete program will be recorded. At least 80% of the contact hours should be attended. If not, additional tasks should be performed to compensate for the missed hours when coordinators were notified properly.
Re-examination
To pass the course, the report on immunological mechanisms behind disease, the Grant proposal and the final mark have to be >5.5 and all pass/fail exercises should be passed. One exam; the multiple choice exam, the report on immunological mechanisms behind disease, or the Grant proposal report can be repeated to pass this course.
A maximal number of two failed additional task might be repeated to pass all additional requirements. In case of an oral exam, a written report should be handed in.
Examination committee:
Dr R.G.M. Bredius and Dr M. Bax
Examination dates + debriefing date
Immunology exam: Sept 18th 2017
Hand in report Immunological mechanisms behind disease: Oct 16th 2017
Literature
The immune system (Peter Parham)
Other study materials are available at the respective department, on Blackboard or will be handed out
Contacts
Dr. M. Bax
LUMC, Dept. of Rheumatology
M.Bax@lumc.nl
Dr. R.G.M. Bredius
LUMC, Dept. of Paediatrics
R.G.M.Bredius@lumc.nl