Objectives

The broad goal of teaching Physiology in the undergraduate course is to provide the students with the knowledge of the normal working of the organ systems of body with a patient centric approach necessary to understand the clinical subjects.

(physios = nature and logos = discourse)

Instruments available in Physiology Lab

Hematology Lab

Microscope:
Binocular (electrical) - 12
Monocular – 26

Human / Clinical Lab

ECG-12 leads Cardiovit AT-1
Spirometer (Student spirometer) 03
Stethoscope 08
Peak Expiratory Flow Meter (PEFR) 01
Hair Aesthesiometer 01
Compass Aesthesiometer 01
Students Physiograph (Single channel) 08 


Teaching learning methods 

• Didactic lectures with the help of Multimedia projector: power-point presentation
• Micro-slide projector
• Overhead projector
• Black board
• Other audio visual aids


Besides didactic lectures:

• Practical Classes
• Group Discussions
• Demonstrations e.g. EMG, ECG, EEG
• Clinical Visits to MTH –patient centric approach e.g. hemodialysis, hemiplegic patient
• Skill Lab: CPR demonstrations
• Students’ Seminars
• Tutorial classes: Tutorials are conducted after the class hours and in practical classes.
• Extra classes:
• Before the exams as revision classes
• For academically weak students (based on the performance of fortnightly test)
• For Nepal Govt. students who join late
• Personal attention given after college hours
• Counseling for poor performance in the fortnightly test by the HOD
• Re-examinations for weak students (after the college hours) 


Syllabus

I MBBS: 62 Lecture hours

I Semester: 28
• General Physiology: 13
• Blood: 13
• Autonomic Nervous System: 2

II Semester: 34
• Respiratory system: 14
• Cardiovascular system: 20
• II MBBS: 112 Lecture hours

III Semester: 53
• Gastrointestinal Physiology :10
• Hepatobiliary :05
• Renal system :09
• Endocrine system :14
• Reproductive system :09
• Growth and Development & Aging :06

IV Semester: 59
• Central Nervous system :31
• Special Senses :15
• Immunity :03
• Musculoskeletal system :06
• Skin and Temperature regulation :04

• Each semester has 60 hours of practical Classes allotted for the respective syllabus
• Total: 414 hours for all four semesters to be covered over a period of two years for each batch 


Practicals

I Semester
• Study of Microscope
• Differential Leucocyte count (DLC)
• Total Leucocyte count (TLC)
• Total Red blood cell count
• Haemoglobin estimation
• Bleeding and Clotting time
• Blood groups
• Determination of Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Blood indices
• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
• Erythrocyte fragility test

II Semester
• Clinical Examination of Respiratory system
• Clinical Examination of Cardiovascular system
• Stethography and Spirometry
• Radial Pulse examination
• Blood pressure measurement
• ECG
• Exercise Tolerance test
• Effect of exercise on Cardiovascular system and Respiratory system
• Artificial respiration & Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR ) 


Practicals

III Semester

• Renal function tests
• Hemodialysis demonstration
• Problem based learning (PBL)
• Hypothalamus, Anterior pituitary
• Thyroid, Adrenal cortex
• Pancreas, and Parathyroid
• Pregnancy and Lactation
• Male reproductive system
• Chromosomal abnormality

IV Semester
• Clinical examination of Nervous system
• Sensory and Motor examination
• Examination of reflexes
• Examination of Cranial nerves
• Problem based learning (PBL)
• Sensory/Motor/Higher function/Cerebellum/Basal ganglia

Text books and Reference books

Text books

• Text book of medical physiology – by Guyton & Hall (KU)
• Text book of physiology volume I & II – by Prof. A. K. Jain

Reference books

• Review of medical physiology – by William F. Ganong and
• Text book of physiology – by Berne & Levy
• Illustrated Physiology - by BR Mackenna & R Callander


Practical books

• Practical manual- as given by MCOMS.
• Hutchinson’s clinical methods – by Michael Swash from II semester onwards

PBL Case study with questions

Example
• A 50 year-old man presented with the complaints of polyuria, polydipsia and loss of weight in spite of increased appetite for past two months. Biochemical examination showed high fasting and post-prandial blood sugar level. 

1. What is the probable diagnosis? 
2. What are the causes? 
3. What are the complications in this disease? 
4. How would you manage this patient? 

Evaluation 

• Written examinations : Fortnightly Tests (FNT’s), Sessional Examinations, University Examinations 
• Practical examinations: Sessional Examinations, University Examinations: OSPE (stationary) as spotters, OSPE (procedural) 
• Viva Voce

Practical skill

• The students should be able to perform experiments designed to study physiological phenomena 
• Interpret and analyze results 
• Differentiate between normal and abnormal results

Facilities 

• Two well equipped Laboratories (accommodate up to 25 students) 
• Four Lecture Halls for 100 students in each

Courses

• Graduate medicine Courses (MBBS) 
• Bachelor of Medical Lab Technology Courses (BMLT)

Ongoing Research

• Faculty pursuing research publications in peer reviewed journals in field of Yoga, meditation and anthropometry 
• Mr MG Ramesh Babu. Effect of Raj Yoga on Depressive patients at Brahmakumaris’ Raj yoga centre opened at Manipal Teaching Hospital (MTH). A pilot study before PhD thesis 
• Postgraduate students pursuing PhD in Burdwan University on “Parathyroid gland and calcium regulation”

List of published papers. 

• Varun Malhotra, Arjun VS , Swarnima Basu, Harish Joshi, Ravi Shankar P. “Physiology of occulocardiac reflex”. J Amer Integ Med online 2006 p-15
• OP Tandon, Varun Malhotra, P.Bhaskar, Ravi P. Shankar. “Cerebral control of visceral responses- possible mechanism involved” Review Indian Journal of experimental Biology 2006 Aug. 429-435 
• Varun Malhotra, Savitha Singh, Om Prakash Tandon, SB Sharma, S.V.Madhu. “The beneficial effect of yoga in diabetes.” Nepal Med Coll J 2005 Dec; 7(2): 145-7 
• OP Tandon, S Singh, V Malhotra. “Beneficial effect of yoga Asanas in the NIDDM: Biochemical and Electrophysiological Evidence”. Trends in Yoga & Life style 2005. 43-53 
• Varun Malhotra, OP Tandon. “A study on the effect of individual asanas on blood pressure”. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowladge. 4(4) October 2005, pp 367-372 
• V Malhotra, S Singh, Sb Sharma, SV Madhu, P Gupta, OP Tandon. “Effect of yoga Asanas and pranayama in Non- Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus”. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol 3(2), April 2004 pp 162-167 
• Singh S, Malhotra V, Singh KP, Madhu SV,Tandon OP. Role of yoga in modifying cardiovascular function in Type 2 diabetic patients”. J Assoc physician of India. Vol 52, March 2004. pp-203-206 
• OP Tandon, Malhotra V, Tandon S and D’Silva I. Neurophysiology of pain: Insight to Orofacial pain. J Physiol Pharmacol 47(3) 247-269, 2003 
• Shah Amin, Parthasarathy D, Sarkar D, Saha CG. “Comparative study of body mass index in diabetic and non diabetic patients in Nepalese population”. Kathmandu Medical Journal (KUMJ)

Articles send for publication. 

• Dilliram Niraula, C.G.Saha. “Study on the refractive errors and color blindness of school going children of Pokhara city in Nepal”. Kathmandu Medical Journal (KUMJ) 
• Parthasarathi Debray, Shreevatsa Bhat M, Ramesh Babu MG, Mr. Tarun Kanti Sen, Saikat Roy, C. G. Saha. “A comparative study of the peak expiratory flow rate of indian and nepalese young adults”. Journal of Nepal Medical Association (JNMA). Submitted on December 26, 2007

M.Sc Thesis work 

• “Comparative study of body mass index in diabetic and non diabetic patients in Nepalese population”. Amin Shah 2005 
• “Study on euthyroid goiter in Nepalese population”. Suzu Shrestha 2005 
• “Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR ) in healthy Nepalese children and young adults”. Kshitiz Upadhyay Dhungal 2006 
• “Study on age at menarche of school girls of Pokhara”. Sunuwar Laxmi 2006 
• “Study on the refractive errors and color blindness of school going children of Pokhara city in Nepal”. Niraula Dilliram 2006

Courses Offered 

• Postgraduate - Master in Science (MSc) in Human Physiology Courses 
• Doctors of medicine (MD) in Physiology

Proposed Plans

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology of MCOMS, Pokhara propose to establish a scientific association “Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of Nepal (APPN)”