Course Syllabus

Note: Class dates, times and topics are not final until the first day of the course. 

 

Faculty

Andrea Pohly Thorn M.D. (University of Copenhagen, 2016). Resident in Orthopedic surgery, Herlev/Gentofte Hospital (2025-), M.D Department of Orthopedic Surgery Holbæk Sygehus (2025) PhD at the Department of Orthopedic surgery, Rigshospitalet (2021-2025). M.D Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Herlev/Gentofte Hospital (2019-2021). M.D Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nordsjællands Hospital (2017-2019). M.D General medicine at Vik legekontor, Vik municipality, Norway (2017). Intern, Fælles Akut Afdeling, Aarhus Universitet Hospital, and general medicine at Ebeltoft Lægehus (2016-2017). Course Assistant with DIS (2011-2015). With DIS since 2011

Isabel Engel M.D. (University of Copenhagen, 2017). Physician in a private online menopause clinic (2025–present) with focus on women’s health, lifestyle medicine, and menopause care. Previous experience as medical consultant in a private holistic and longevity-focused healthcare clinic. Resident in General Practice at clinics in Zealand, with previous experience in Emergency Medicine and Geriatrics at Holbæk, Næstved, and Herlev Hospital. Former research assistant at the Danish Headache Center, Department of Neurology. Teaching both Clinical Skills and Emergency Medicine simulations at CAMES, and previous course assistant -  with DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia since 2016.

Guest Lecturer

Filip Davidovski M.D. (University of Copenhagen, 2022). PhD student at the Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital (2022-present). MPH student at Imperial College London (2023-present). Awarded Master’s Thesis of the Year, University of Copenhagen (2021). Erasmus Student at University of Vienna, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology (2020). Teaching Clinical Skills Session, Emergency Medicine, and Communication Course at DIS. Previous experience in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine with clerkships at Soochow University (China) and Dronning Ingrid Hospital Nuuk (Greenland). Student-athlete and Division 1 Soccer in USA (2016). Previous Course Assistant for Human Health & Disease. With DIS since 2017.

Course Assistant

Rikke Hermund Medical student at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). Former Student Assistant at Strandvejens Eye Clinic, vaccinator at Bella Center and volunteer teacher at Kræftens Bekæmpelse (Danish Cancer Foundation). With DIS since 2021.

 

Course Description

The clinical approach of the course implies studying symptoms, signs, diagnostic methods, and treatment of the most important human diseases, writing patient case reviews based upon medical records, and patient interviews, visiting various clinical and diagnostic hospital departments and performing physical examinations on phantoms or other students.

The course, however, does not provide regular medical training corresponding to that of medical students and does not include shadowing of doctors or physical examination of patients. Patient demonstrations are included in some, but not all, lectures.

  
Expected Learning Outcomes

The objective of the course is to introduce students to the most important human diseases, their diagnoses and treatments, and to the clinical working methods of physicians as practiced at a large, Danish University Hospital in Copenhagen.  Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Write a structured medical report
2. Explain the rationale for choice of tests and treatments in clinical practice
3. Perform basic manual skills (suture, IV insertion, intubation) and give a basic explanation of the techniques
4. Discuss knowledge of human anatomy and physiology
5. Describe medical practice in a social, international, and scientific context

 

Required Readings

• Clancy J, McVicar: Physiology and Anatomy for Nurses and Health Practitioners: A Homeostatic Approach (e-textbook under Modules)
• Ford MJ, Hennessey, I, and Japp, A: Introduction to Clinical Examination, 8^th Churchill Livingstone, London 2005: Ford.
• O'Neill P, Dornan T, Denning DW: A Core Text with Self-Assessment. Churchill Livingstone, 3rd Edition, 2008: O'Neill.
• Additional Readings will be posted on Canvas

Not all reading assignments will be covered in class, but all reading assignments are absolutely necessary in order to follow what is actually covered in class. The reading material has been carefully chosen and all of it is pertinent to your success in Human Health and Disease. 

Please make sure to read all the material assigned. In some cases, where noted, skimming the reading and picking out important points will be sufficient. You have an obligation to your fellow classmates and yourself to come prepared to class.  

If you have questions or need clarification about a reading or lecture material do not hesitate to speak up and/or contact the course assistant (see contact information above). In the case that a meeting is needed, please feel free to set up appointments with them via email.  You can contact them or the course assistant to set up an appointment or to ask a question.

 
Evaluation

Patient Cases

There will be two patient cases presented in this Human Health and Disease course. They can be theoretical patient cases and/or clinical patient cases, as relevant and appropriate. 

The Theoretical Cases are specialized to the concentration that the class is working on during that time (i.e., the disease will relate to that day’s lecture material). Everyone will be introduced to the Theoretical Patient Cases and each student will be required to hand in a written assignment detailing their ‘differential diagnostic’ process; this assignment will be graded.

For Clinical Cases, students will be presented with a real patient and everyone will write up their own case history about the signs, symptoms, ailments, and treatments for the specific patients that they are introduced to. More details will be given on this activity as the time approaches for the first Clinical Case Review. It is mandatory to attend all classes in which clinical case reviews are presented. Missing a class would result in a 'fail' on that paper.

Formative Test & Summative Final

There will be one 20 minute test and one cumulative 1 hour final during this course, consisting of multiple choice questions. 

Participation and Attendance

Participation covers the following areas:

1. Attendance
2. Level of preparation and ability to answer questions asked in class
3. Involvement in class and group discussions
4. Level of individual research and contribution to discussions

Attendance is mandatory for all scheduled class sessions, field studies, all days of Study Tour .​

Each absence from a class session or field study will automatically result in a deduction of 10 points from your attendance grade (out of 100 total points).  ​

• Each absence from an activity study tour will automatically result in a deduction of 10 points from your attendance grade​
• On study tour, missing multiple activities on the same day will result in multiple deductions (e.g., missing two activities in one day results in a total deduction of 20 points). Required activities may include academic, social,or cultural components of the program. ​

Exceptions to this point deduction policy can only be made if supported by prior approval from DIS Academic Support (e.g., for serious personal or family matters).

Grading

Test	20%
Patient Cases (2 at 20%)	40%
Final Exam	30%
Participation and Attendance	10%

 

Policy on late assignments

Late patient cases will be accepted, but your grade will be reduced by halfletter grade for each day that it is late. Anything submitted in the 24 hours after the deadline counts as the first day (for example - five minutes late counts as one day late). ​

Missed test/exams will not be re-opened.

 

Electronics

Your computer is allowed for class purposes. It is not allowed for other activities such as social networks, sending personal e-mails etc. If you use a computer for other purposes, it will affect your participation grade. Cell phone usage is not allowed in class. It is distracting to both your classmates and your instructors, so please keep them turned off. Otherwise it will affect your participation grade.