This course is designed to provide you with the basic principles of human physiology that are fundamental to the practice of modern medicine. You will learn from notes, lectures, conferences, laboratory exercises, through interaction with your classmates, and by studying certain textbooks. A list of required and recommended textbooks can be found on page iii. The lecture notes contained herein are a valuable guide to most of the important subjects, and the lectures will further clarify concepts and principles. Laboratory exercises and small group conferences with facilitators, in which you will cover problem sets, are designed to illustrate and reinforce selected topics.

You are encouraged to form study groups to examine physiological subjects in detail. Articulation of a problem and discussion of its various aspects is an extremely effective means of understanding. Remember that you are not in competition with your fellow students. Rather, you and your classmates are simply trying to learn the subjects necessary to prepare you for a career in medicine and science.