Basic Principles of Medicine

Dr Deon Forrester Course Director (St. George’s, Grenada)

Dr James Coey, Associate Course Director (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) 

Version of January 2022 approved by the Course Director.

This version will supersede any previous editions of this document. The university reserves the right to change or amend the rules and regulations at any time. The new rules and regulations will be applicable to all students registered on the course.

How do we define participation in course activities?

For all onsite activities, participation is defined as full engagement for the whole duration of the academic activity at the scheduled time and venue and answering all participation questions provided through the audience response system. 

For all online activities, participation is defined as full engagement for the whole duration of the academic activity at the scheduled time on the appropriate Zoom session and answering all participation questions through the audience response system. Note that different students in the class may be scheduled at different times, your scheduled time is the only one that counts for your participation. If you miss an activity do not ask to be placed at a later time, this will not be permitted because students at the last session of the day do not have this opportunity.

All Wi-Fi enabled electronic devices must be registered to the user for use on campus. The Wi-Fi connection of your registered devices to the SGU internet will be used along with the participation data from the audience response system to verify your presence in teaching facilities. Using a device not registered to you may result in you loosing participation credit. Misrepresentation of participation records using another person’s device is unprofessional behavior and will result in academic penalties outlined in the Unprofessional Behavior section of the syllabus. 

SGU expects that students enrolled in the MD program demonstrate 100% participation in all scheduled activities. Participation below 100% means you are failing to meet our expectations, additionally, if your participation falls below 80% there are academic consequences.

In order to pass Basic Principles of Medicine 1 (BPM 1), you need to complete the following:

* these activities are mandatory and a score must be achieved for every assessment. Without scores in all of these examinations and assessments a course grade cannot be assigned and a course grade of F will be registered at the end of term. A score of zero will be retained for any exam that is missed and not completed on the scheduled completion date.

** maximum of 18 points available.

*** maximum of 18 points available.

**** All activities must be fulfilled to the required performance, participation and professionalism standards to earn these 30 points. Any single event activity must be remediated before a course grade can be earned. Participation in any element <80% may incur an additional professionalism penalty (up to 10% of the total course points per incidence). <70% participation in any of the multiple event activities subject to the 80% participation requirement will result in an incomplete grade that will be converted to an F at the end of term. For events where participation is recorded using the audience response system, all questions in the session must have a recorded response to earn credit for the session. 

***** There is a 1-hour ITI session scheduled to cover 2 lectures and to earn the participation credit for the ITI session you must participate for the whole 1-hr session. On days where there is only 1 lecture, the ITI session is scheduled for 30 minutes and to earn participation credit you must participate for 30minutes.

The final course grade is calculated by converting the course points obtained by the student into a percentage. The student manual outlines the grading scales used in the SOM. Student Manual

To pass the course the student must achieve a grade of 69.50% or higher (≥ 529 points) in addition, all relevant assessment and participation criteria must be fulfilled.

****** Learning and Study Skills Inventory survey (LASSI) - This survey assesses your awareness and use of different learning strategies. As a reflective tool, it can help you learn more about yourself as a learner - identify strengths as well as areas for development.  It takes about 12 minutes, and your results are e-mailed to you.  You are required to complete this survey prior to attending the Smart Start for Medical School orientation session.  If you were in SGU preclinical programs and you took the LASSI at the end of last term, you can choose to take the LASSI again or you can use your results from the end of last term. If you are a late registrant, you are required to take the LASSI by January 31^st.

HOW TO TAKE THE LASSI: 

LINK: https://www.collegelassi.com/lassi/ 

Use this information to log in 

• School Number: 80485 
• User Name: SGUlassi 
• User Password: des2022 
• THEN provide you own SGU e-mail when prompted to do so. 

******* Mandatory Advising Meeting - After the APRC meetings, students who have not performed will receive an email regarding the attendance to a mandatory advising with an academic advisor from AADS.  Failure to attend will result in loss of Participation and Professionalism points. 

ONSITE DELIVERY 

Live onsite course activities are delivered by course faculty in predetermined venues. Venues will be available in the course schedule and on Sakai. All lectures, small groups, IMCQ’s and ITI sessions are delivered live onsite.  

ONLINE DELIVERY 

Synchronous course activities use a live online platform for delivery. The live online platform is used for all lectures, small groups, IMCQ’s, ITI sessions and faculty office hours. It is important that you sign into the Zoom platform using the application (not the browser version) and sign in using the SGU SSO – see link below for instructions. 

ZOOM 

https://www.iorad.com/player/1657673/SGU-Zoom---How-to-Sign-in-with-SSO  

Additional guidance for online delivery of course requirements is given from IT/OIA in the following link: 

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING REMOTELY FOR STUDENTS 

https://mycourses.sgu.edu/access/content/group/7a7ac639-acc5-4f33-b106ae0778aabff6/TeachingLearningRemotely/LearningRemotely.html  https://mycampus.sgu.edu/office-of-institutional-advancement/Training-Resources  

For all technical support for course delivery at home please contact support@sgu.edu see link below  https://www.sgu.edu/office-of-information-technology/it-support/  

Computer requirements for the course and examinations are outlined in the above link under Examplify guidelines from Examination Services.  

TIME ZONE: 

All live activities will follow the time zone in Grenada (Atlantic Standard Time GMT -4) with no summertime adjustment in Grenada. 

CLASS SCHEDULE 

Class schedules can be found on the Office of the University Registrar’s page (under Student Departments Tab). 

 https://mycampus.sgu.edu/group/oep-registrar/academic-class-schedules  

Any errors in scores for formative assessments or participation data that are displayed in the Sakai gradebook must be reported to the Course Director within 48 hours of their publication. Errors reported later than this will not be considered for correction. You will not be able to query participation scores once modules are completed.

Any errors in summative course assessment that are displayed in the Sakai gradebook must be reported to the Course Director within 24 hours of their publication. Errors reported later than this will not be considered for correction. 

For all online proctored examinations, the published scores are preliminary at the time of publication; course penalties may apply if a subsequent investigation demonstrates a failure to comply with examination regulations or the online proctoring requirements. For Online Assessments, where results are immediately accessible upon submission, errors must be reported before the submission deadline. 

Please direct all queries to: 

sombpm1@sgu.edu

The Course Basic Principles of Medicine 1 (BPM1) is a 17-credit course taught over 17 weeks in Term 1 of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program of St George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, and within the Keith B Taylor Global Scholar's Program (KBT GSP), in collaboration with Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. It is part one of an organ system-based curriculum for the first academic year of the Basic Sciences program and is taught in three consecutive modules:

Foundation to Medicine (FTM) Module

In this first module, students will learn about the biological molecules associated with cells, tissues and organs from biochemical and cellular discussions towards a molecular understanding of human disease and pathology.  Students will learn about normal and abnormal physiological states including homeostasis and how it is controlled via biochemical and genetic means. Cellular control of proliferation, senescence, apoptosis and necrosis will be explored. Histological, biochemical, physiological, and genetic aspects of cancer will be synthesized to develop a comprehensive analysis of the principles of this disease state. Students will increase their knowledge of human patterns of genetic inheritance beyond Mendelian concepts with the objective of seeing patients through a genetic lens. Genetic and genomic tests for diagnosis and characterization will be taught so that students will have a broad understanding of the advantages and limitations of these technologies. An overarching theme of this module is to introduce students to the language embedded in pathology tests and to provide an understanding and interpretation of the results. To this end, biochemical, physiological and genetic aspects of pharmacology will also be introduced.

Musculoskeletal System (MSK) Module

The Musculoskeletal System module is an interdisciplinary study of the anatomical, histological, physiological and pharmacological principles of this organ system. The overall goal of this module is to provide a comprehensive knowledge base for understanding the normal gross anatomical and microscopic structures as well as the development and functioning of the musculoskeletal system. Case studies, practical laboratory sessions and small group discussions are an integral component throughout the entire module. The module also exposes students to cadaveric prosections and ultrasound simulation sessions with standardized patients to aide in their understanding of key anatomical concepts and allows them to apply this knowledge to a clinical setting.

Cardiovascular, Pulmonary and Renal Systems (CPR) Module

The Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, and Renal Systems module is an interdisciplinary study of the anatomical, histological, physiological, biochemical, and pharmacological principles of these organ systems. The overall goal of this module is to provide a sound comprehensive knowledge base for understanding the normal anatomical and microscopic structures, biochemical processes, and functioning of the cardiovascular, pulmonary and renal organs. Case studies and practical laboratory sessions are also presented as an integral component throughout the entire module. An introduction to inflammation, various cardiovascular, pulmonary and renal acid-base disorders will be explored to aid with the application and integration of the normal basic science principles into pathological disease process.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Basic Principles of Medicine One (BPM1) Course embraces the mission of the Doctor of Medicine

Program of St George’s University School of Medicine: the 4-year outcome objectives are listed in Section B: SGU SOM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Basic Principles of Medicine One (BPM1) Course specifically addresses a number of 4-year outcome objectives within the three categories of knowledge (1a, 1b,1c), clinical skills (2a, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2i, 2l) and professional attitudes (3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3g, 3h, 3i) of the Doctor of Medicine Program of St. George’s University School of Medicine.

Basic Principles of Medicine One (BPM1) Course Objectives A student should be able to:

1. Analyze normal biochemical, genetic, physiological, histological and cellular mechanisms of the human body and their relationship to medicine
2. Understand and describe the development, anatomical, histological and physiological principles of the musculoskeletal system 
3. Identify and describe the macro and micro anatomical structures, developmental, biochemical, physiological processes of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal organ systems. 
4. Discuss, analyze and apply biochemical, genetic, pharmacological, physiological, histological, developmental and anatomical knowledge to normal and pathological processes 
5. Demonstrate professional behaviors and develop effective communication and interpersonal skills during small group practical sessions and interactive clinical settings.
6. Identify strengths, deficiencies and limits in one’s own medical knowledge, clinical skills and professional behaviors.
7. Set learning and improvement goals in medical knowledge, clinical skills and professional behaviors.
8. Identify resources to guide and perform learning activities to address one’s gaps in medical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional behaviors.
9. Continually identify, analyze, and implement new and updated knowledge, guidelines, standards, technologies, products or services that have been demonstrated to improve outcomes.

Foundation to Medicine (FTM) Module Objectives A student should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast the molecular basis of normal and disease states at the molecular, cellular, histological, genetic and physiological level.
2. Analyze a variety of molecular diagnostic tests and provide their interpretations.
3. Discuss biochemical, histological, physiological, anatomical, developmental and genetic aspects of different types of cells, tissues and organs.
4. Discuss the basic principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics
5. Develop effective communication of information when discussing and critically analyzing medically related cases

Musculoskeletal System (MSK) Module Objectives A student should be able to:

1. Identify the gross anatomical and microscopic structures of the musculoskeletal system. 
2. Understand the development and normal physiological functions of the musculoskeletal system. 
3. Demonstrate proficiency in both theoretical knowledge and clinical skills related to functioning and assessment of the musculoskeletal system. 
4. Apply didactic acquired knowledge to clinically based hands-on exercises.
5. Develop professional behaviors and demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal team building skills during small group practical sessions and interactive clinical settings.

Cardiovascular, Pulmonary and Renal Systems (CPR) Module Objectives A student should be able to:

1. Identify anatomical and microscopic structures of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal organ systems. 
2. Understand the development, biochemical processes and normal physiological functions of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal organ systems. 
3. Demonstrate proficiency in both theoretical knowledge and clinical skills related to functioning and assessment of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal organ systems. 
4. Apply didactic acquired knowledge to clinically based hands-on exercises.
5. Demonstrate professional behaviors and effective communication and interpersonal team building skills during small group practical sessions and interactive clinical settings.

For all administrative questions contact our departmental secretaries, module coordinators and course directors at:

 (Please do not send a message to all faculty or to individual faculty members). Faculty and staff will not respond to emails during the weekend. Last email responded to will be Friday at 4:00pm. 

Content Related Questions

For all content-related questions, the most efficient way of interacting with your peers and faculty is by using the Discussion Form in Sakai, the learning management system. Students can find a more detailed description of the Discussion Forum in the student support section below.

Course Leadership Team

The course director oversees the overall organization of the course. Module coordinators organize specific modules within the course and are responsible for Sakai site.

Content Managers

Content Managers are responsible for the content related to their discipline in lectures, small groups and multiple-choice questions.

Teaching Faculty  

A full list including a biography of the teaching faculty will be provided on SAKAI.  

Clinical Instructors and Teaching Fellows

A group of physicians responsible for facilitating small group sessions and other educational activities. See SAKAI for further information

Standardized Patients 

St. George’s University employs standardized patients in the training and evaluation of medical students. The BPM1 Course uses standardized patients in the physical examination components of the small group practical sessions (SG) and the ultrasound sessions (US). A standardized patient (SP) is a person who has been coached by faculty to accurately and consistently recreate the physical findings, emotional reactions, and response patterns of an actual patient. In addition, the SP’s have agreed to undergo ultrasound and physical examination thereby affording the student an opportunity to learn surface anatomy, physical examination skills and professional communication and conduct in a simulated clinical environment. Students are expected to perform physical examinations (including ultrasound) on both male and female SPs.

Required textbook, lecture slides, small group material and additional resources as provided on My Courses.

Copyright 2020 St. George's University.  All rights reserved. 

All course material, whether in print or online, is protected by copyright. Course materials, in part or in their entirety, may not be copied, distributed or published in any form, printed, electronic or otherwise. 

As an exception, students enrolled in the course are permitted to make electronic or print copies of all downloadable files for personal and classroom use only, provided that no alterations to the documents are made and that the copyright statement is maintained in all copies. 

Lecture recordings are explicitly excluded from download and creating copies of these recordings by students and other users is strictly prohibited.

Course Website

The BPM1 course offers a website through Sakai, our learning management system. This site is used for COMMUNICATION (Announcements, Syllabus, Resources, Tests & Quizzes, Gradebook, a web link to the student resources of the Required Books, and a link to Lecture Recordings).

To login, go to myCampus Secure Login (Carenage), type in your user ID and password, and click on MyCourses. 

Electronic Resources

Distribution of course material will be in electronic format. Links to external websites are included, where appropriate. In accordance with Committee for Technology based Teaching and Learning (CTTL) recommendation, students are provided with unlocked PDF files, which may be annotated for personal use. This format facilitates active learning, as it allows highlighting and annotations, using a variety of platforms, operating systems and annotation software. Copyright restrictions regarding the duplication of materials apply (see copyright statement above).

The Resources folder contains multiple subfolders in which students will be able to find the course material provided.

Required Textbooks

 Books in hard copy

 Ferrier DR. Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2014.   

Pawlina W, Ross MH. Histology: A Text and Atlas: With Correlated Cell and Molecular Biology. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2020.  

 Chandar N, Viselli S. Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Cell and Molecular Biology. 2nd ed.  Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2019.

 Katzung BG, Trevor AJ. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 14th ed. S.I.: McGraw-Hill; 2017

 Korf BR, Irons NB. Human Genetics and Genomics. 4th ed.  

Books in ebooks

AHA BLS PROVIDER MANUAL ACCESS CODE TO THE EBOOK WORLDPOINT

(HTTPS://WWW.WORLDPOINT.COM/EN/AHA-EBOOK   

 Zhang G, Fenderson B. Lippincott's Illustrated Q&A Review of Histology. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2014   

 Netter FH. Atlas of Human Anatomy. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019.  

 Rhoades R, Bell D. Medical Physiology: Principles for Clinical Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2019.    

 Drake RL, Vogl W, Mitchell AWM, Gray H. Gray's Anatomy for Students. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020.   

 Loukas M, Tubbs RS, Abrahams PH, Carmichael SW. Gray's Anatomy Review. 2nd ed.                                       

 Books via the library

 Moore KL, Persaud TVN, Torchia MG. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology. 11^th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier; 2020. 

 Loukas M, Benninger B, Tubbs RS. Gray's Clinical Photographic Dissector of the Human Body. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019. 

 Abrahams P, Spratt JD, Loukas, M, Van Schoor A-N. Abrahams' and McMinn's Clinical Atlas of Human Anatomy. 8th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier; 2020.  

Optional additional resources:

List of all online medical textbooks available through SGU library:

https://mycampus.sgu.edu/group/library/ebooks

Free online access for SGU students (requires log-in with SGU credentials)

AccessMedicine: https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com.periodicals.sgu.edu/

Searchable medical textbooks

Required Readings

The content of each Required Reading is integrated into course activities including lectures, Small Groups, and Directed Learning Activities. 

Each required reading should be previewed before the relevant lecture and/or Small Group and read closely afterwards to reinforce knowledge and understanding. Some readings are referred to repeatedly during different parts of the course. 

Required Electronic Equipment

Laptop

Students need a personal laptop that meets the specifications outlined by SGU Examination Services (access to a webcam and a stable internet connection is also required for online course delivery and assessments;  https://mycourses.sgu.edu/access/content/group/7a7ac639-acc5-4f33-b106ae0778aabff6/TeachingLearningRemotely/LearningRemotely.html  see section on Examplify guidelines from Examination Services).

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure his/her laptop is in full working condition, as specified by Examination Services, and keep it up to date. For those students in ITI on campus an ethernet cable and USB ethernet dongle will be required. In ITI venues no Wi-Fi streaming of content is allowed and all students must be equipped to have wired access to the internet. Ethernet cables and wireless dongles are available for purchase from the University bookstore.

Turning Point

Turning Point is the audience response system utilized in all basic sciences courses. It’s use is assumed to reflect the participation and performance of the student to whom the device or account is registered. Misrepresentation of participation and/or performance through the misuse of the audience response system constitutes academic dishonesty and may result in loss of professionalism points, additional course penalties and/or referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Participation in academic activities is monitored through Zoom, Turning Point (Turning Technologies) and Wi-Fi log in data. For  lectures, there are two options for submitting a response to a clicker question:

1. Turning Point App from Google Play or Apple Stores: This must be accessed with the students SGU turning point account.
2. Browser based TTPoll.com can also be used for the audience response system.

Students are required to participate with the audience response system in scheduled teaching sessions, and it is the students’ responsibility to ensure that they are able to do so. Any technical failures fall within the normal 80% participation requirement.

If there is any problem with the app or browser, ensure adequate steps are taken to resolve the issue (e.g. download of new app, seek assistance from IT, etc.). 

Required Medical Equipment  

A Physical Diagnosis (PD) Kit, which is included in the official list of required material for all Terms is essential for all courses. The PD Kit contents will not all be used every term and it is the responsibility of the student to maintain the kit and its contents throughout their time in Medical School.

The kit includes:

• Combined ophthalmoscope/otoscope set (with reusable otoscope specula), 
• Reflex hammer, 
• Set of tuning forks (512 Hz, 256 Hz), 
• Penlight (batteries not included), 
• Pocket eye chart, 
• Tape measure, 
• Stethoscope 
• Sphygmomanometer with two cuffs (1 adult, 1 pediatric). 
• Disposable items; cotton tipped applicators, tongue depressors and tourniquets 

Please ensure that you check the contents of the PD Kit on receipt and report any missing items to the course email SOMBPM1@sgu.edu by the end of the 1^st week of term 1. Any report of missing items after this date will be treated as lost and replacements will not be issued. 

Faulty items must be reported to Mr. Marieo Castle MCastle@sgu.edu within 24hrs of the first small group which require its use. All correspondence regarding faulty equipment must be cc’d to the course email SOMBPM1@sgu.edu.  

Please note that you will need the PD Kit for the Small Group Practical Sessions. You will perform practical clinical skills in class and for continued practice outside class to prepare you for practical clinical examinations, including Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) in Terms 1 and 2 as well as for Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) exams in Terms 4 and 5. It is your responsibility to ensure that the PD Kit remains fully stocked and that broken and lost items are replaced before the OSPE/OSCE exam and at the start of each new term. Disposable items are issued once only, replacement items may be purchased from the SGU bookstore.  

The main components of the  BPM 1 course are listed below. Lectures 

• Directed Learning Activities (DLAs)
• Small Group Discussion Sessions
• Cadaver Laboratory (LAB)Session
• Simulation Laboratory Sessions (SIMLAB)
• Ultrasound Sessions (US)
• Interactive Multiple-Choice Sessions (IMCQ’s)
• Weekly ExamSoft (ESoft) Quizzes

Ensure that you review the Learning Pathway document on SAKAI for further details on the expectations for each course component

Students MUST participate in all components of the course WITH THEIR ASSIGNED COHORT. No switching is permitted. Any student who fails to participate in a session with their assigned cohort will lose the participation for that particular course activity.

Please be advised that all course activities will be subject to video recording for educational and other purposes and your participation in this course is deemed to constitute consent to the recording and use of your image and voice

COURSE ASSESSMENTS

Course assessments may be summative (a high-stakes assessment that counts towards points in the gradebook), formative (a low stakes assessment that provides valuable feedback to students to optimize their learning strategies), or both.   

Summative Assessment Points

The total assessment points that can be earned in the course are listed in the table below:

* These activities must be completed to fulfill requirements for the course. A valid medical excuse is required for students to be given a completion exam.  All completion exams will be offered at the end of the term.

** More information will be made available on the nature of these exams during the term.

STUDENT SUPPORT Discussion Forum

The major platform for all content related questions is the Discussion Forum on the course website. Students are encouraged to post their questions on the Discussion Forum and to respond to questions posted by others.

Students are expected to make use of the Discussion Forum rather than emailing questions to individual faculty. Many students have the same questions; therefore, posting on the Discussion Forum allows all students benefit from the posted questions and their timely responses. Course faculty will regularly monitor the Discussion Forum and participate, whenever appropriate.

When posting questions on the discussion forum, you must tag each post with the lecture number, the small group, IMCQ or ExamSoft quiz that the question is referring to. This will ensure that the relevant faculty members will be available to answer your questions.

Students should only use professional language. Discussions should remain relevant to course material. Use of derogatory remarks or inappropriate language is not allowed. All posts must also be accompanied with the full name of the person posting it. Failure to do so will result in deletion of the post. Anonymous messages are considered unprofessional behavior and a violation of the student honor code. 

Office Hours

Office hours will be provided by all teaching faculty as open office hours (walk in) or by appointment. The available hours (open or appointments) for the different faculty members will be posted weekly on Sakai. Students may also contact individual faculty for appointments at any time during the course.  

Cadaver Laboratory Office Hours

Every student can make lab appointments during MSK and CPR module. Please note that these spots are limited and are offered on a first come first served basis. Students must make these appointments in groups of 5 or more and the appointment counts for every student in the group. Appointments for the cadaver lab can only be made one week in advance. In addition to faculty appointments, visiting professors may be available during the weekday morning Anatomy Cadaver Lab Open Hours. Visiting professors do not require individual or group appointments. 

Cadaver Lab Open Hours  

The Anatomy Cadaver Lab will be opened during the weekday when there are no BPM1 or BPM 2 Anatomy Cadaver Laboratory classes taking place.  It will also be open on weekday evenings and on weekends. This is to facilitate students’ individual or group study with the cadaver specimens. A schedule of the open hours will be provided on Sakai and in the Cadaver lab. 

We would like to remind you of the opportunities available at SGU if you experience academic difficulties or wellness and/or mental health concerns. 

Academic Advising, Development and Support (AADS) 

The goal of the Academic Advising, Development and Support Division is to ensure that each student optimizes their path through Basic Sciences by taking full advantage of the resources available at St George’s University. 

Academic advisors are available for all SOM students who wish to receive academic advice during their time in Basic Sciences. Full time academic advisors are available by appointment or during open hours (9 am – 4 pm daily). To schedule an appointment please send an email (academicadvisingSOM@sgu.edu), give us a call (444 4175 ext.3027 or 3494) or visit our office (Lower David Brown Hall, below the Food Court).  

Department of Educational Services (DES) 

DES is your one-stop for improving your academic performance and adapting your learning strategies. You can schedule one-to-one individual appointments with a learning strategist, MCQ approach appointments with a learning strategist (individually and in small groups of 2-3) or strategic online learning strategy support through MyCoach Med. For more information, check out the DES web site: https://www.sgu.edu/student-support-services/department-educational-services/

Psychological Services Center (PSC) 

PSC provides psychological counseling services through scheduled and walk-in hours from 9 am to 4:30 pm AST, in addition to 24-hour crisis coverage. The PSC also provides group services for dealing with anxiety, grief and chronic conditions, and for learning Mindfulness Skills. Please see the attached PDF for the PSC November Group offers. For more information, please see the PSC web site: https://mycampus.sgu.edu/web/psc