90316 - General Pathology Lab-based Course (C1B)

Learning outcomes

The students will study the morphological changes caused by the disease processes and the basic reactions to etiologic agents in cells and tissues, together with the pathogenetic mechanism of their development. This educational laboratory will enable the student to recognize the microscopic alterations in cells and tissues characteristic of the pathologic processes, by the study of general histopathology which will be hold in parallel to the course of General Pathology and Physiopathology.

Course contents

1. Cellular and extracellular pathology: reversible cell injury and fatty change, amyloidosis, necrosis and infarction.

2. Neoplastic transformation: benign tumors, malignant tumors, metastases.

3. Inflammatoryand reparative response: acute inflammation, chronic nonspecific and granulomatous inflammation, granulation tissue, sclerosis, cirrhosis.

4. Vascular disease: medial calcific artheriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, thrombosis.

Readings/Bibliography

Web site:

https://unibo.smartzoom.com/

V. Kumar, A.K. Abbas, J.C. Aster. “Robbins e Cotran - Le basi patologiche delle malattie”, 9a edizione, 2015, Casa Editrice Edra, Milano

Teaching methods

For this course, Innovative Education and Integrative Digital Education projects were presented and approved by the University of Bologna.

Innovative Education project

Lessons will be carried out as blended learning with the following subdivision:

• 22 hours in the microscopy classroom with the teacher, who will direct the study and provide the necessary explanations to both small groups and individual students. Histopathological slides, exemplary of the General Pathology lesson topic, will be taken into consideration at a time. Histological aspects and pathological modifications will be illustrated by the teacher and then collectively analysed.
• 12 hours online via Teams using the Virtual Microscopy platform SmartZoom. In the first phase, the teacher will explain the digital slides, in a similar way as in microscopy classrooms. In the second phase, the students will observe autonomously the digital slides. In the third phase, students will try to identify slides (problem solving) without instructions from the teacher, but with the possibility of counselling with peers (flipped learning). The teacher will join the discussion evaluating the knowledge level and the analysis ability acquired by students. In this aim, some tests could be given for step-by-step slide identification.

Integrative Digital Education project

• Students can consult the whole Histopathology course on e-learning (Laboratory of General Pathology C1C course). In this virtual course, available 24/7, students will find presentation slides of the pathologies, slides relating to histopathological specimens, short animated lessons of about 5 minutes for each histological preparation, discussion forum and self-evaluation tests.
• Students will also have access 24/7and from any computer station to the DIMES Virtual Microscopy site. This site contains digital slides that can be observed by varying observation field and magnification (from 1x to 40x), explanatory texts with hypertext links and markers that can be activated on the slide to guide the student in the recognition of the different histological structures. In the website there is also a self-assessment part based on the recognition of an anonymous histological preparation randomly extracted from the system and self-evaluation tests. In the Virtual Microscopy site a discussion forum among students, moderated by teachers and tutors, is also available.

Assessment methods

The learning level will be assessed at the end of classes. The examination is unique for all the subjects of the Integrated Course and it will consist of two questions. One of the two questions will include a practical microscopy test to assess the learning of the General Pathology Laboratory. The online registration to the exam through Alma Esami is mandatory

The exam aims to evaluate the knowledge acquired by the student on the course contents in order to achieve the educational goals. The exam assesses the student ability to frame the topic of general pathology or pathophysiology on which they are questioned and to expose it by making the necessary logical-deductive connections. The coherence of the conceptual succession and the appropriateness of the scientific language are further elements of evaluation. The examination of the General Pathology and Pathophysiology Course includes the observation and oral description of a microscopic preparation up to the recognition of the specific histopathological picture. The student must be able to discuss the morphological alterations of a histopathological specimen, in relation to the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired on the subject during the course.

Graduation of the final grade

18-20: knowledge of the basic concepts without serious gaps. Exposition of concepts and language as a whole acceptable.

21-25: knowledge of the basic concepts without gaps. Ability to analyze and link in partial autonomy. Exposure of discrete concepts and language.

26-29: preparation of good or very good level or even excellent preparation but with inaccuracies in the presentation that compromise the achievement of full marks. Ability to analyze and link independently. Exposure of concepts in the right succession and mastery of the language.

30-30L: full preparation, consolidated and without inaccuracies on the topics covered in the course. Ability to promptly frame the topic. Ability to analyze and connect independently. Concepts in the right succession and full command of the specific language.

The final grade derives from the collegial evaluation carried out by the teachers who examined the student.

Teaching tools

The histopathology laboratory has 56 microscopes.

Office hours

See the website of Letizia Polito