100 Open Courseware Collections in Health and Medicine

August 20th, 2008 by Site Administrator | Print

Jessica Merritt

There’s a wealth of medical education available through Open Coursware on various university sites. Chances are you won’t be able to learn how to perform brain surgery from this online education, but there’s helpful information for everyone from doctors to regular joes. In these classes, you’ll learn about different conditions, public health, and so much more.

Introduction

These courses offer entry-level education and a broad look at medical topics.

  1. Introduction to Cardiac Care: Get the basics of heart disease and cardiac care through this course.
  2. Introductory Biology: MIT’s biology course takes a look at biology’s fundamental principles.
  3. Introduction to Clinical Pain Problems: Learn about the treatment of pain with this course.
  4. Welcome to Human Physiology: This course looks at anatomy, DNA, genetic code, and more.
  5. General Human Anatomy: See the functional anatomy of the human body in this course.
  6. Introduction to Health Policy: This course will teach you about important factors that make up health policy.
  7. Human Growth and Development: Human Growth and Development offers a look at developmental tracks from birth to death.
  8. Adolescent Health and Development: Check out this course to learn about adolescence and adolescent health through lectures, readings, discussion, and more.

Politics & Law

These courses will teach you about legal and political issues in medicine.

  1. Open Source Biology: The Role of Law: Consider social welfare in biological sciences with this law lecture.
  2. The Art of Science Advice to Policy Makers: Lessons from the US National Academies: Dr. Harvey Fineberg shares personal experiences and professional insights on creating policy recommendations.
  3. Technology, Science, Money, and Health: A Policy History of Genomics: Look at the history of the Himan Geonome Project and its consecuence on patients and health policy.
  4. The Politics of Health Care: This series discusses the evolution of the US health care system.

Technology

Learn about implementing technology in medicine through these courses.

  1. Projects in Microscale Engineering for the Life Sciences: This course is about microscale devices that can be used for medical evaluation purposes.
  2. Computing for Biomedical Scientists: Consider how you can better use a computer for biomedical purposes with this course.
  3. Medical Computing: Take a look at how automation has an impact on medical science.
  4. Medical Decision Support: This course offers an analysis of different methods and tools that can be used to help make medical decisions.
  5. Genomics and Computational Biology: Learn about computational biology and genomics in this course from MIT.

Body Parts & Systems

In these courses, you’ll learn about specific parts of the body as well as physiological systems.

  1. Brain and Cognitive Sciences: Learn how the human brain works in health and disease through this course.
  2. Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology: In this course, you’ll learn about a variety of gastrointestinal disorders and other fundamental topics related to the gastrointestinal system.
  3. Cardiovascular Pathophysiology: This course will offer an in-depth look at cardiac function.
  4. Gastroenterology: Get a look into the gastrointestinal tract, as well as associated systems through this course.
  5. Acoustics of Speech and Hearing: This course discusses acoustic cues and mechanisms.
  6. Opthamology Grand Rounds: See some of the most interesting cases from the New England Eye Center Grand Rounds.
  7. Molecular Biology for the Auditory System: In this introductory course, you’ll learn about the auditory system.
  8. Muscoskeletal Pathophysiology: Hear from experts about rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and more.
  9. A Clinical Approach to the Human Brain: Understand how the brain works in both health and disease with this course.
  10. Renal Pathophysiology: In this course, you’ll see how the kidneys adapt, as well as disorders from primary defects.

Women

With these courses, you’ll get to take a look at medical issues for women.

  1. Women’s Health Today: Learn about female sexual health, breast cancer, and more.
  2. Pain Management in Women Over the Lifecycle: This course offers a look at pain management for women with endometriosis, pregnancy, rheumatology, and other conditions over their life cycle.

Genetics

These courses discuss genomic medicine, DNA, and more.

  1. Genomic Medicine: This course explores ideas, challenges, and concepts in medical genomics.
  2. Gene Expression and its Regulation: Learn about the molecular biology behind genes through this course.
  3. Genetics: In this course, you’ll learn about genetic diseases, genetic inheritance, and much more.
  4. Genomics and Computational Biology: Understand DNA sequencing technology and more with this course.

Nutrition

Learn more about healthy eating, diets, nutrition, and more in these courses.

  1. Introduction to Human Nutrition: Introduction to Human Nutrition discusses food as a source of nutrition, requiring students to record and consider their own diet.
  2. Food and Nutrition Policy: Understand the steps that are part of food and nutrition policymaking.
  3. Nutrition and Medicine: Learn all about basic nutrition principles in this course.
  4. Critical Analysis of Popular Diets and Dietary Supplements: This course will teach you how to critically appraise a diet or dietary supplement.

Diseases & Conditions

These courses will teach you about specific diseases and conditions of the human body.

  1. Biography of the AIDS Epidemic: Creating an Oral-History Project: This series discusses the impact that AIDS had on doctors when the epidemic was first reported.
  2. Images of Memorable Cases: 50 Years at the Bedside: This course takes a look at the art and science of medical diagnosis.
  3. Inflammation as Cause and Consequence of Disease: See how inflammation impacts diseases and more in this series.
  4. Issues in complementary and alternative medicine: Find out why people use complementary and alternative medicine, and some of the issues surrounding it.
  5. The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Guide to Surgery: This course aims to empower patients when considering a recommendation to have surgery.
  6. Microbiology: Learn about microbial pathogens that establish infectious diseases through this course.
  7. Coping with Brain Injury: This course offers a look at living after brain injury, caregiving, rehabilitation, and more.
  8. Pathophysiology of Infectious Diseases: Get a background on infectious diseases with this course.
  9. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases: This course discusses the basic methods for infectious disease epidemiology.
  10. Malariology: Take a look at malaria as a public health problem with this course.
  11. World Malaria Today: Learn what policy and scientific experts think about the progress being made on malaria.
  12. Taking Control of Your Diabetes: This course offers a look into gestational diabetes, insulin pump therapy, and more.
  13. Pathopshysiology of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism: Here you’ll learn about diagnosis and pathophysiology of diabetes.
  14. America’s Battle for a Cure: The Culture and Politics of Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: Learn all about the battle against breast cancer in this course.

Disaster Planning

Find out how to deal with terrorism, pandemics, and more in these courses.

  1. Radiation Terror 101: Learn about radiation principles, safety, and different types of radiological terror.
  2. Biological Agents of Water and Foodborne Bioterrorism: In this course you’ll get a look at a variety of biological agents that terrorists could use in food or water supplies.
  3. Personal Preparedness Planning for Public Health Workers: This course will teach you how to be prepared to function as a public health emergency responder.
  4. Case Studies in Terrorism Response: Take a look at these case studies to learn about terrorism preparedness and response.
  5. Impact of Pandemic Influenza on Public Health: See how an avian influenza pandemic could impact world health.

Mental Health

These courses discuss psychology, mental health, and more.

  1. Clinical Psychology: Get a better understanding of psychological dysfunction with this course.
  2. Mental Health Practice: Bonnyrigg: Learn the difference between mental health and mental illness, as well as discrimination.
  3. General Psychology: This course offers an introduction to the major concepts of psychology.
  4. Psychiatric Epidemiology: Psychiatric Epidemiology will teach you about major mental disorders.
  5. Challenging ideas in mental health: This course will teach you to think differently about mental health by considering every angle.
  6. Buddhist Psychology: Get a look into the life and philosophies of Buddha in this course.
  7. Psychology of Personality: Understand the science behind personality with this course.

Public Health

Consider health as it relates to the public with these courses.

  1. The Politics of Pollution: This seminar will explain the impact of industrial production on workers and consumers.
  2. Culture, Politics and Community: Living Public Health in Nigeria: Find out what one professor learned during 26 years of working in Nigeria.
  3. Fundamentals of Oncology for Public Health Practicioners: This course discusses cancer prevention in public health.
  4. Social Marketing for Health Promotion in California and Mexico: This course offers best practices, ideas, and more for promoting health.
  5. Global Tobacco Control: This course will teach you about the health and economic burden of worldwide tobacco use and discuss ways that it can be curtailed.
  6. Population Change and Public Health: Learn about population studies and how they impact public health.
  7. Public Health Biology: Public Health Biology takes an integrative molecular and biological perspective on public health.
  8. Population Medicine: Think about the big picture of medicine with the help of this course.
  9. Environmental Health: Here you’ll learn about health issues, causes, and approaches to major environmental health problems.
  10. Confronting the Burden of Injuries: Learn how to work on injury control in areas that have traditionally not been concerned with the issue.

Fitness

Learn more about fitness and sports with these courses.

  1. Improving aerobic fitness: Find out what sort of aerobic exercises you should be doing to improve your health.
  2. Funding elite sport: In this series, you’ll learn how to get financial support to fund elite sport training.

Reproduction & Sexual Health

These courses discuss the health of the human reproductive system.

  1. Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology: In this course, you’ll get a look at research, issues, and problems in reproductive and perinatal health.
  2. Preventing Infant Mortality and Promoting the Health of Women, Infants, and Children: Consider the causes and preventions of infant mortality with this course.
  3. Family Planning Policies and Programs: This course will introduce you to issues and strategies for family planning programs, particularly for developing countries.
  4. Web 2.0: Risks for STI/HIV-Opportunities for Prevention: Learn how health care can take advantage of opportunities for STI/HIV prevention on social networking and dating sites.
  5. Human Reproductive Biology: This course offers a broad look at the reproductive system in men and women.
  6. Biology of Sex: This course explores the biological side of sex.
  7. Human Teratology: Environmental Causes of Birth Defects: Find out some of the ways birth defects can form with this course.
  8. Healthy Women, Healthy Families: This course discusses prenatal health and healthy pregnancy.

Aging

Look at the study of aging healthfully through these courses, and learn about the issues that surround aging.

  1. Aging, Health, and Diversity: Get a critical look at aging and health, and how diversity comes into play.
  2. Health Issues for Aging Populations: This course offers the study of aging and health policies related to the elderly.
  3. Aging and disability: Transitions into residential care: Consider the emotional impact of moving into residential care and learn what social workers and care staff can do to make the transition easier.

Education & Information

These courses will give you the tools you need to be a better medical practicioner.

  1. Internet Pathology Laboratory: This resource offers exams, tutorials, pathology, and lots more.
  2. Epidemiology and Biostatistics: This course will teach you the skills you need to critique medical literature.
  3. Measuring and Teaching Medical Professionalism: This course explains how to promote medical professionalism.
  4. Improving Understanding and Collaboration among First Responders: With this training, you’ll get to see how specific responder groups can better work together.
  5. Training Methods and Continuing Education for Health Workers: See how training and continuing education can help improve health service and management.
  6. Ethical Issues in Public Health: Consider how ethics come into play in public health through this course.
  7. Health Education Course: This course discusses sharing health education with the public.
  8. Medical Product Quality Systems: Learn about the FDA and other quality systems in this course.
  9. Human Systems Explorer: With this tool you’ll be able to learn about difficult subjects in pathophysiology.

Drugs

These courses cover both medically prescribed drugs and drug abuse.

  1. Principles of Pharmacology: Get an introduction to the study of phamacologic agents with this course.
  2. Alcohol and human health: Get a glimpse into the effects alcohol has on the body in this course.
  3. Principles of Drug Development: Find out how drugs are developed by taking this course.

Finance

Consider financial and insurance issues in health care with these courses.

  1. Cost Containment in Health Care: Learn all about keeping health care costs down in this course.
  2. Understanding Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care: Learn how to read and interpret cost-effectiveness studies with the help of this course.
  3. Managed Care and Health Insurance: Here you’ll learn about the major issues in health insurance and managed care plans.

Death

These courses take a look at death and health care.

  1. Moral and ethical principles in end of life care: Consider patient autonomy and other important issues in end of life care.
  2. Living with death and dying: Learn about dealing with death in your life from this course.


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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 at 9:52 am and is filed under Nursing Resources, Online Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can trackback from your own site.