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Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Genes to Society: A Curriculum for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Genes to Society Course

The Genes to Society course is a 15-month course that extends from January of Year One to March of Year Two. This course presents an integrated understanding of human health and disease using the framework of physiologic systems. Several scientific disciplines, including biochemistry, cell biology, epidemiology, pathology and pharmacology are presented in each system. The course uses a combination of lecture, readings, small-group problem-solving, virtual microscopy, pathology laboratories and student-led workshops to achieve learning goals.

Course Goals

The two main course goals are to:

  • Use the scientific foundations to understand the origins, manifestations, impact and treatment of disease or risk of disease; and
  • Advance students’ professional identity by acquiring the language, problem-solving skills, inquisitiveness, leadership, compassion and teamwork needed in a physician.

Course Structure

The systems are organized into four GTS blocks. Each block contains two or more sections.

Year One

  • Block 1: Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Dermatology, Hematology/Oncology
  • Block 2: Brain, Mind and Behavior, Nervous System and Special Senses

Year Two

  • Block 3: Pulmonary, Renal, Cardiovascular
  • Block 4: GI/Liver, Endocrine, Reproductive, Musculoskeletal

The course directors for the Genes to Society Course are Henry Fessler, M.D., and Michael Borowitz, M.D. Each section has a section leader who plans the pedagogy for that section.

Course Directors

  • Michael Joseph Borowitz, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Director, Division of Hematologic Pathology
    • Co-Director, Genes to Society
    • Deputy Director, Education, Department of Pathology
    • Executive Deputy Director, Department of Pathology
    • Professor of Pathology
    • Professor of Oncology

  • Henry Eric Fessler, M.D.

    • Director of Education, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care
    • Professor of Medicine

Pulmonary

Henry Eric Fessler, M.D.

  • Director of Education, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care
  • Professor of Medicine

Renal

Jose Manuel Monroy Trujillo, M.D.

  • Associate Program Director, Nephrology Fellowship
  • Assistant Professor of Medicine

Cardiovascular

Edward Kevin Kasper, M.D.

  • E. Cowles Andrus Distinguished Professor in Cardiology
  • Director, Outpatient Cardiology
  • Professor of Medicine

GI/Liver

Endocrine

  • David William Cooke, M.D.

    • Director, Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Training Program
    • Clinical Director, Pediatric Endocrinology
    • Professor of Pediatrics

  • Aniket Sidhaye, M.D.

    • Program Director, Endocrinology and Metabolism Fellowship
    • Chair, Glucose Steering Committee, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
    • Associate Professor of Medicine
    • Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Musculoskeletal

Reproductive

Contact

Pamela McCann, M.S.
Sr. Medical Training Program Administrator
Email: [email protected]

Grace Bryant, M.Ed.
Medical Training Program Administrator
Email: [email protected]

Time Commitment and Course Length

The course runs for 22 weeks.
Typical schedule for Genes to Society Course: Year Two:

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Genes to Society
Pulmonary
Renal		 TIME:
Substance Abuse		 Genes to Society
Cardiovascular GI / Liver
GI / Liver
Endocrine
Longitudinal Ambulatory Clerkship Longitudinal Ambulatory Clerkship
Scholarly Concentrations Scholarly Concentrations
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
  TIME:
Patient Safety		 Genes to Society
Reproductive
Musculoskeletal 		Transition to the Wards
Scholarly Concentrations
 

Quick Links

Courses and Clerkships Year Two Courses