A Syllabus for a One-Semester Chemistry Course for
Health Professions Report of the Task Force on Chemical Education for Health Professions Mordecai Treblow, Chairman 6655 Northumberland Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 John M. Daly, Vice-chairman Bellarmine College, Louisville, KY 40205 Jerry L. Sarquis, Secretary Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056 The Task Force on Chemical Education for Health Professionals was authorized bv the Executive Committee of the Diwsion ot Chemical ducati ion at the Washlngtm, DC Natiamal ACS Meeting- in the Fall of 1979. This Task Force hai two major charges: 1) To design syllabuses for a one-semester course and for a twosemester course in chemistry for health professions. 2) To open communications and, where feasible,to form affiliations with some of the manv vrofessional oraanizations of the health T h e need for such a group as our Task Force within the Division of Chemical Education has become evident because of the dramatic increase in the number of health professions students enrolling in chemistry and the variety of these courses appearing in colleges and universities. The Task Force has held two working sessions a t every ACS National Meeting beginning with the Fall 1980 meeting in Las Venns. Our group is cmpused uf eighteen chemical ed<om. Six 'l'ttsk Furw members trach in small private colleges, right in universities and two teach a t two-yearcolleges; oneis a dean
lask Force on Chemical Education for Health Professions We list below the names and affiliations of our Task Force members. We look forward to hearing from those of you interested in this branch of chemical education. We welcome your comments and suggestions; they may be directed to any of the Task Force officers. A request for a copy of the syllabus should be directed to Jerry Sarquis. John A. Beel, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO John M. Daly, Bellarmine College, Louisville, KY Anne Deckard, Grand Rapids Junior College, Grand Rapids, MI David Dever, Macon Junior College, Macon, GA Michael Frechette, University of Lowell, Lowell, MA Julien Gendell, Oakland University, Rochester, MI Andrew J. Glaid, Duquesne University, Pittburgh, PA Charles Henricksun, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY John R. Holum, Augshurg College, Minneapolis, MN Arne Langsjoen, Gustavas Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN Andrew F. Montana, California State University, Fullerton, CA George I. Sackheim, Emeritus, University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, Chicago, IL Maxyne D. Schneider, SSJ, College of Our Lady of the Elms, Chicopee, MA Curtis Sears, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA Conrad Stanitski, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA Jerry L. Sarquis, Miami University, Oxford, OH Mordecai Treblow, Pittsburgh, PA Teresa J. Welch, Edgewood College, Madison, WI
620
Journal of Chemical Education
in a state university; one, a former small college teacher, is now a n industrial research chemist: two are department chairpersons. Most notably, seven members are authors or coauthors of chemistry texts widely used in chemistry courses for health professions students. We have accomplished the first part of our first charge above, which we present here: a model syllabus for a onesemester chemistry course for health professions. It is the result of manv hours of intense work and consultation between the Task Force and professors from varying health professions and colleges and universities. They have met with and shared their experiences and advised us in designing this syllabus for their students. These facultv included re~resentativesfrom nursing, dietetics, and respiratory therapy. Most of these health professionals were from colleges or universities local to that particular ACS meeting, and as such, unofficially represented their resvective ~rofessions.One. however. has h e m an official representatiie, appointed b y t h e president of his organization: Patrick Plunkett. Northeastern University, ~ o s i o nMA, , Chairman, Education Committee, American Association of Respiratory Therapists. Fulfilling our second charge has been difficult, possibly hecause the professional organizations we have approached are caught up in their own problems and agendas; the one- or two-semester course in chemistry is, unfortunately, of minor concern to some health professions. This course syllahus or outline is presented to our colleagues as a model. It is not intended to he or proposed as "the official" course in its field. We believe that it can he helpful if used as a guide by an innovative professor. In essence, we have included major topics and subtopics which this Task Force and our consultants consider important for health professions students to learn. The amount of time allotted to each topic and the depth of coveraee for individual t o ~ i c sare intentionally left to the judgement of the individual instructor. In presentine this svllabus, we dooffer afew points of advice particularly to; prof&sor new to teaching a chemistry course to health professions students. ( 1 ) Remember that this is the only physical science course mast of these students will take and most of them have considerable anxiety. 12) Many of them are poorly prepared for chemistry and partieulady for the mathematical part of our science. These are the fundamental reasons for their amrehension. .. (3) Many are older, "nun-traditional" students with work and family ohligations concurrent with their academic responsibilities. (4) Remember your clientele! The biochemistry section is mast important and most interesting to these students. (Hence, we have used an integrated apprnaeh.) Do be sure to save enough time tn consider the biochemical tupics that have toeameat the end of the syllabus because of their dependence on earlier material.
( 5 ) Maat of us who have been successful in teaching this specialized course have made a point of meeting with the health professions department chairperson (or other faculty) who are sending us their students. If you make this effort t o bridge the chasm hetween health professions faculty and yourself, the chemistry professor, your work will he eased and this special effort will he rewarded. ( 6 ) While "our students mav feel aoorehensive about takine rhrmiitry, their interest and motivation can be arhreved, p p r r d l y if e cunrrirntiuw elfort is made to relate rhem~stry to the health sciences. (7) This course can and should be regarded as a challenge. These students may indeed comprise a large percentage of your department's total chemistry course enrollments. This course will rive the students a life-lonn imoression of chemistrv and chemists.
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Syllabus Definition: A syllabus is an instructional framework for the course content.
Goals (1) T o establish the chemical foundations for microhialow.. phyiidow, nutntwn, and pharmarulogy. I?) TI, h i t rhe topics to be C U V P ~ Pin~ a unr-term course. 1.1, 1'" depart f n m the traditional comparrmenmlirarion of inorganic, organic, and biological chemistry and emphasize interration of basic concepts throughout the course. ~ d d i t i o n a lcourse objectives are to reduce the anxiety of s t u d e n t s toward chemistry a n d t o convey t h a t chemical theories a r e interpretations of h u m a n observations. T h i s ones e m e s t e r course i n chemistrv is neither designed n o r recomm e n d e d as a prerequisite fo; a n y f u r t h e r chemistry course.
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Topical Outline (The order of listing of these topics neither implies nor specifies the order of presentation.) Atoms and Molecular Structure Concepts Fundamental particles Electron distribution Periodic table Bonding Molecular structure Relationship of molecular structure t o physical properties example: water Selected inorganic ions and organic functional groups Mt.osurements Metric and SI Units Manipulation and recording of units Applications: dose calculations Aqueous Systems Concepts Solubility solids, liquids, gases molecular and ionic substances Concentrations w/vw mularity osmularity
Concentration effects osmosis dialvsis Suspepions and colloids Applications: internal and external dialysis, isotonic solutions, plasma extenders Gas Lous-Qualitatiue Treatment Bovle's Law ~ h a r ~ e~s ' a w Gay-Lussac's Law Dalton's Law Graham's Law Kinetic Molecular Theory concepts Applications: anesthesia, blood gases Acids, Bases, ond Salts Acid-base theories Strong and weak acids and bases Neutralization pH Buffers Normal serum electrolyte values Applications: acidosis and alkalosis, sodium-potassium pump Chemical Reactions Balancing chemical equations by inspection The mole concept Factors affecting rates of reaction concentration temperature catalysts Applications: enzymes, hypothermia and hyperthermia Dynamic Equilibrium LeChatelier's Principle Phases, solubility, and chemical equilibria Applications: respiration, homeostasis Energy Forms of enerw The elertrmmgnetir spectrum effects of radiatrw un living systems C m w r i ~ o nuf r h r m i ~ aenergy l Applications: radiation therapy, X-rays, ultrasound, lasers, isotopes, chemotherapy, safety Oxidation-Reduction Concepts Applications: inorganic, organic, biochemistry Metabolism Biochemical energetics Cellular architecture Carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins a broad overview interrelationships Enzymes metabolic regulation coenzymes vitamins and trace elements Applications: oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases
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Volume 61
Number 7
July 1984
621
