Relevance of the Discipline
Biology is the science that studies living organisms and the environment surrounding them. It examines the laws of the existence and development of life as a specific form of matter in motion. The object of study of biology includes living organisms, including humans; therefore, it is essential for future physicians to possess fundamental biological knowledge about the human being.
Human biology is one of the natural sciences based on scientific and philosophical worldviews. The biology course contains factual material of great importance in the theoretical formation of physicians. These materials are necessary for the subsequent study of medical-biological disciplines. At the same time, for medical institutes, the course of biology and genetics is purposefully designed based on the curriculum for studying human biology and genetics.
Modern biology is broad in scope and reflects the study of the fundamental characteristics of life, the variability of nature and the role of evolutionary processes within it, the importance of social and ecological laws in human life, the biological foundations of development, the essence of life, biological systems and their levels of organization, as well as the mechanisms of preservation and development of life in space and time.
Interdisciplinary Integration of the Discipline within the Curriculum and
Methodological Continuity
Medical biology and genetics is a medical-biological discipline taught in the 1st and 2nd semesters and serves as a foundation for mastering subjects such as human anatomy, histology, cytology and embryology, normal physiology, medical genetics, and parasitology.
The Role of the Discipline in Science, Economy, and Production
Medical biology and genetics studies the cellular and systemic mechanisms of human vital activity, the multifaceted aspects of development, human genetics, ecology, and parasitology. It contributes to the development of students’ clinical and practical thinking, the formation of physicians’ professional worldview, and, together with social sciences, creates the foundation for socio-biological understanding of humans. In conjunction with other modern sciences, it provides comprehensive knowledge about the organism and ensures the development of clinical reasoning skills in students.
Modern Information and Pedagogical Technologies in Teaching the Discipline
and Instructional Design of Learning Activities
In order for students to master medical biology and genetics, it is important to use advanced and modern teaching methods and to implement new information and pedagogical technologies. In teaching the discipline, textbooks, teaching and methodological manuals, lecture texts, handout materials, computer programs, electronic resources, as well as modern light microscopes and video systems are utilized.
During practical classes covering the general and specific sections of the discipline, pedagogical technologies such as brainstorming, Venn diagrams, cluster method, fishbone diagram, K/W/L method, and group discussion are used to develop students’ clinical thinking skills.
The purpose of teaching the discipline is to form the foundational knowledge necessary for students to study medical-biological, social, and clinical sciences.