Urinary/Renal System - Medicine Digital Learning

In this system

Dear WSUCOM Class of 2029:

Welcome to the 502 Urinary Course!

The purpose of this course is to help you in the development of thinking clinically and synthesizing concepts of normal organ function, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and disease.

You will find that renal medicine has significant overlap with other organ systems (cardiac, pulmonary, endocrine, hematology, immunology, metabolism, among others) and involves a broad application of basic science concepts within general medicine. This forms the basis for interpreting lab results—blood chemistry panels, urinalysis, blood gases, and others—that you will work with for the remainder of your career!

Pre-recorded Nephlix videos, worksheets, and other materials are meant to be complementary and provide context for the large-group sessions. The curriculum has purposeful incorporation of basic science, clinical science, radiology, case-based learning, and more under a common umbrella. I strongly encourage you to engage the pre-class material prior to large-group sessions to get the most from them.

Large-group learning will involve concept review, solving case vignettes by applying given concepts, and asking guiding questions. You may find that certain topics repeat themselves through the course, but this is intentional. It will help you to synthesize and consolidate the concepts. Our goal is to provide you a foundation of the principles and tools needed to continue learning these topics.

This is not the only time in your medical training that you will encounter these topics. During subsequent levels of training you will have opportunity to refine your understanding (maybe even pursue a career in Nephrology!).

The pace, variety, and complexity of the Urinary Course is significant. Keeping up from the beginning is highly recommended. As your faculty, we are available for questions, and we are committed to your success. The materials for Urinary 502 are purposeful and meant to help you learn salient material for USMLE and, more importantly, for the practice of medicine. I will be available on Slack, via email, and by cell phone for questions or concerns.

PLEASE check Slack ONCE DAILY for any new course information or materials I think will help you.

It is my preferred platform to provide communications, helpful material, and session-specific study guides.

What learning strategies are recommended?

Large-group sessions emphasize important concepts and details.
Spend time drawing the nephron.

The details build over the sessions. DRAW it, DRAW it, DRAW it.

Your upper classmates have mentioned many times how this made answering Step 1 questions straightforward. Step exam concepts will require you to recall specific details from the nephron (What molecule is dealt with where?, How/where does this medication work? Where does this hormone work? How does the RAAS system effect something? What effect does X have on the afferent arteriole?), which you will have etched onto your retina and into your brain for quick recall!

DRAWING will lead to UNDERSTANDING and being able to manipulate the physiology.

Interactive

(Tap to open; use your Apple Pencil to draw.)

There will be plenty of office hours and review sessions, so come and ask questions!
We can help you make much more sense out of your supplementary study material and help you understand renal concepts, as opposed to memorizing answers.

(Nota bene: Plain memorization is not a successful strategy for this material.)

Welcome to the upcoming year at WSUCOM! I wish you an exciting year of learning, and I look forward to working with you along this journey!

Sincerely,
Henry Mroch, MD
Nephrology, Internal Medicine
Professor
mroch@wsu.edu