PATH30200 GI/GU Illness

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module outlines the pathological entities affecting the gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and genitourinary tracts. Emphasis is placed on the clinical presentation, pathogenesis and behaviour of these diseases. We would like to remind students that there is an expectancy of full attendance for the scheduled lectures and tutorials.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the GI/GU module, students should have improved their skills in 3 core areas:
1) Biomedical Knowledge:
Students should be able to:
A) Describe the inflammatory conditions involving the oesophagus and stomach. Outline the pathogenesis and morphology of peptic ulcer disease. Describe its complications.
B) List the causes of malabsorption and describe the associated clinicopathological features.
C) Describe the infectious conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract.
D) Outline the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Describe the macroscopic and microscopic features of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease and list their complications.
E) Understand what is meant by the term 'acute abdomen'. List the common causes of an acute abdomen and outline the pathogenesis of these causes.
F) Describe the presentation and pathogenesis of gastrointestinal motility disorders.
G) Discuss the benign and malignant neoplasms affecting the gastrointestinal tract including risk factors, presentation, morphological features and prognostic features. Illustrate the adenoma-carcinoma sequence.
H) Describe the clinicopathological features of acute and chronic liver disease and the features that distinguish the two. Outline the effects of alcohol on the liver.
I) Classify the causes of cirrhosis.
J) Discuss the epidemiology, clinical features, complications and methods involved in the diagnosis of the hepatitis viruses.
K) Discuss the non viral causes of liver disease and their complications.
L) Outline the aetiology, pathogenesis and complications of gallstones.
M) List the causes of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Describe the pathogenesis, clinical features and complications of both.
N) Discuss the benign and malignant tumours of the liver, intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary tree and the pancreas.
O) Describe the common infections involving the urinary tract.
P) Classify the causes of glomerular disease and outline the underlying pathogenesis, clinical features and methods involved in the diagnosis of different types.
Q) Outline the tubulointerstitial diseases and their clinicopathological features.
R) List the causes and complications of renal calculi.
S) Discuss the benign and malignant tumours involving the kidney, ureter and bladder and outline their presentation, morphological and prognostic features.
T) Describe the pathologies of the male reproductive tract.
U) Outline the pathogenesis and complications of prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic adenocarcinoma.
V) Describe the causes and consequences of common sexually transmitted diseases.

2) Professional and Clinical Skills:
After completion of this module, it is envisaged that the successful student should be in a position to critically evaluate the different pathologies of the gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and genitourinary tracts and suggest appropriate investigations and possible management options.
A) Formulate a logical approach to the investigation of upper and lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding. B) Propose an approach to the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.
C) Formulate an approach to the investigation and management of the acute abdomen.
D) Formulate an approach to the investigation of jaundice and abnormal liver function tests.
E) Describe the treatment options for viral hepatitis.
F) Recognise the signs and symptoms and complications of liver failure and portal hypertension.
G) Formulate an approach to the investigation of proteinuria and haematuria.
H) Suggest possible treatment options for the sexually transmitted infections.

3) Personal and Professional skills:
The student should have:
A) Improved their personal and professional skills by participating in group based interactive tutorials B) Assimilated the professional approach that Gastroenterologists, microbiologists and pathologists demonstrate in their clinical illustrations in their lectures and case based tutorials.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

30

Small Group

6

Tutorial

3

Autonomous Student Learning

61

Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The approach to study of pathology in this module is patient-centered. The goal of medicine to to reduce human suffering. Pathology is the study of suffering. People suffer. Cells and genes don't. Therefore, within the finite time afforded pathology in this program the emphasis in this module will be on recognizing the significance of consistent clinically observable phenomena associated with GIGU illness and understanding the pathogenesis (sequence of events) by which they are manifest.
An understanding of the granular molecular and cellular pathology underlying many of these conditions is desirable and in many cases necessary but for reasons of space is not always possible.
Therefore the aim is discuss pathology starting with the clinical manifestations and working back to the specific causes as far as is practical rather than starting with putative root causes and only getting to the practical implications (time-permitting) at the end.
There will be emphasis on the structured approach to the diagnosis and study of disease with particular stress on commonalities shared by illnesses in the GIGU systems and systems covered elsewhere in the program. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Students are required to have a background in human physiology and biochemistry and to have studied the MBLD module (PATH 20130) or a module with equivalent learning outcomes (such as Mechanisms of Disease (MED) PATH 30080 in association with Genetics Perinatal and Paediatric Diseases). Specifically they are required to have studied modules covering cellular and tissue response to injury, cell death, inflammation, human immunology and Neoplasia.

Learning Exclusions:

Students who have taken the Gastrointestinal Diseases Module (MDSA 30010) or the Cardiovascular and Renal Diseases Module (PHAR 30110)

Learning Recommendations:

Students wishing to register for this module as an Elective must please contact the module co-coordinator.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Required:
MDSA20240 - Micro, Med Genet, Neoplasia, PATH20000 - Biochem,Immunol&Pharmacol

Incompatibles:
MDSA30010 - GI/Hepatobiliary Diseases, PATH30040 - GI/Hepatobiliary Diseases, PHAR30110 - Cardiovascular & Renal Disease

Additional Information:
Required modules:Biochemistry, Immunology and Pharmacology(PATH20000) and Microbiology, Medical Genetics and Neoplasia(MDSA20240).

Equivalents:
GI/GU Illness (MDSA30200)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: MCQ and essay questions some based on clinical case vignettes.
2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

85

Presentation: Group fictitious clinical case presentations x 2 Varies over the Trimester n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

15


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

The group case presentations will have a similar structure to the exit pathology case vignette questions. At the end of each of the 2 presentations the group will receive qualitative directive feedback. The marks will be posted on BrightSpace D2L within the 20 working days. The formative MCQ will give online automated feedback.

Name Role
Dr Koon-Meng Chan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Peter Holloway Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Eoghan O'Connor Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Noreen Sheehy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr William Watson Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Suzy Fitzgerald Tutor
Dr Marguerite Lawler Tutor