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Mini Medical School: Introduction to Medical Science

Discover the science underpinning modern medical practice today and how to maintain and promote good physical and mental health.

4,337 enrolled on this course

A healthcare professional consulting with a patient

Mini Medical School: Introduction to Medical Science

4,337 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

Master the basics of medicine with the University of Colorado School of Medicine

This three-week course offers you a fascinating and informative introduction to modern medicine.

Whether you’d like to better communicate with healthcare professionals, you’re considering a career in medicine, or you’re keen to separate medical fact from fiction in the COVID-19 era, this course will equip you with the up-to-date medical knowledge you need.

Access the latest medical science and wellness teaching

Understanding medicine and your own health is becoming a necessity in a time when anti-science disinformation is burgeoning.

On this course, you’ll study the broad spectrum of topics you’d encounter at medical school, including anatomy, physiology, body systems, cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics.

Learn key medical concepts and demystify medical jargon

You’ll be introduced to technical medical jargon and concepts explained in everyday language. Although you won’t know all of the associated medical jargon, you’ll understand the underlying medical concepts, and will build the confidence to ask your doctor to communicate with you in everyday language.

Learn about medicine to make more informed healthcare decisions

As medicine gets to be more expensive and technical, it’s likely you’ll need to be a healthcare advocate for yourself or those close to you.

This course will empower you with the medical information you need to make good decisions about your health and the health of those around you.

Study with Mini Medical School founder, Dr JJ Cohen

Lead educator and immunologist, Dr JJ Cohen, founded the Mini Medical School in 1989. You’ll learn from his unique approach and study a program attended by over 25,000 learners.

With a U.S. National Glaser Award for outstanding medical school teaching, Dr Cohen also holds honorary degrees from Sherbrooke and McGill University.

What topics will you cover?

  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Body Systems
  • Cellular & Molecular Biology & Genetics

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore how to talk productively with a health care provider by asking for conversations in everyday language.
  • Discuss how to make well-informed decisions about illness, wellness, and life-style choices.
  • Investigate reliable and up-to-date medical information to assist making better health decisions in the future.
  • Identify different anatomical and physiological processes and associated diseases.
  • Summarize the symptoms of diseases that impact the anatomical and physiological health of a patient.
  • Reflect on the information gained in this course and how it will impact your interaction with medical professionals in the future.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who’d like to know more about how their body works, and how to keep it working well.

This may include individuals with specific health concerns, anyone thinking about a career in healthcare and medicine, pre-med or pre-nursing students, those in nursing training programmes, home-schoolers, current or retired healthcare professionals looking to refresh their skills, and medical librarians.

Who will you learn with?

Who developed the course?

University of Colorado

The University of Colorado is a recognized leader in higher education on the national and global stage. We collaborate to meet the diverse needs of our students and communities. We promote innovation, encourage discovery and support the extension of knowledge in ways unique to the state of Colorado and beyond.

Ways to learn

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$109/one-off payment

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 9 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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