There has been much recent commentary on integration in health care professional education. This commentary is of importance to physiology education as integration often touches on integration between preclinical and clinical sciences. There are different forms of integration, from horizontal to vertical to spiral, and different theories underpin…

As a newcomer, the philosophical basis of systems biology seems intuitive and appealing, the underlying philosophy being that the whole of a living system cannot be completely understood by the study of its individual parts. Yet answers to the questions "What is systems biology?" and "What constitutes a systems biology approach in…

The advantages of using invertebrates in teaching physiological principles are discussed. The ability to illustrate with greater clarity physiological principles, the range and variety of physiological processes available for examination, and the unlimited possibilities for student research are topics of discussion. (KR)

The results of actual student participation, with organized group discussions, which show that laboratory teaching remains the premiere mechanism for teaching and learning organ-system physiology are discussed. Laboratories using a pithed frog, a turtle heart, an anesthetized rabbit, and noninvasive recordings from students during exercise are…

The current status of science education for scientific literacy in the United States is reviewed. Textbooks and teaching methods are the main focus of criticism. (CW)

There is a generation gap in physiology teaching. Speculates on the causes of this phenomenon and reviews the predominant attempts at correction in programs over time. (DDR)

Discusses the factors that have determined the author's approach to writing medical physiology textbooks. Reviews the author's career and the events surrounding the development of each textbook. Explains the motivation behind critical decisions made during the authoring process. (DDR)