Master of Medical Sciences in physiology (Mixed Mode) at IIUM University Malaysia

Master of Medical Sciences in physiology (Mixed Mode)

Qualification

Master's Degree

Duration

2 years

Intake

MarMar

English Requirement

IELTS 5.0

Offer Letter

Fees Applies

Class Type

Physical

Course Fee for International Students

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The Master of Medical Sciences in Physiology (Mixed Mode) at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) offers an in-depth understanding of the complex functions and mechanisms of the human body. This program integrates theoretical knowledge with practical applications, preparing students for advanced roles in medical and health sciences.

Students will explore essential concepts in physiology, including physiological processes at cellular, tissue, organ, and system levels. The curriculum emphasizes the integration of physiological principles with clinical practices, fostering a comprehensive understanding of how physiological functions relate to health and disease.

Through a combination of coursework and research, students will develop critical analytical skills and gain hands-on experience in laboratory techniques. This master's program prepares graduates for various careers in research, healthcare, education, and clinical practice, empowering them to contribute effectively to the field of physiology and improve patient outcomes.

Entry Requirements

• A relevant Bachelor’s degree (honours) from the IIUM or any other accredited institution of higher learning.

For other qualifications and certificates (e.g., Other qualifications equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree , etc..) please contact our educational consultants or submit your application for Admission assessment.

Course Title	Course Classification	Credit Hours
Introduction to Medical Physiology	Special Req	2
Advanced Physiology II	Elective	2
Physiology of Special Senses	Elective	2
Renal Physiology	Elective	2
Gastrointestinal Tract Physiology	Elective	2
Endocrine Physiology	Elective	2
Reproductive Physiology	Elective	2
Physiology of the Central Nervous System II	Elective	2
Advanced Physiology I	Elective	2
CVS Physiology	Core	3
Physiology of the Central Nervous System I	Core	3
Respiratory Physiology	Core	3

Introduction to Medical Physiology

No.	Topic
1	The concept of homeostasis and the homeostatic control systems
2	Cellular structure and function
3	Membrane transport; unassisted and assisted
4	Membrane potential, excitable tissues, graded potentials and action potentials
5	Synapses and neuronal integration
6	Intercellular communication and signal transduction
7	Principles of hormonal communication
8	The physiological function of the body systems

Advance Physiology II

No.	Topic
1	Physiology of bone formation and degeneration
2	Growth physiology
3	Dwarfism
4	Gigantism and Marfan syndrome
5	Aging physiology
6	Osteoporosis and osteomalacia
7	Menopause
8	Dementia
9	Weak and strong acid and base
10	Acid base homeostasis
11	Metabolic acidosis and its common disorder
12	Metabolic alkalosis and its common disorder
13	Respiratory acidosis and its common disorder
14	Respiratory alkalosis and its common disorder

Physiology of the Special Senses

No.	Topic
1	Somatosensory System: • Somatovisceral sensory receptors • Microneurography • Spinal Roots and Dermatomes
2	Sensation of the Face: • Trigeminal Nociceptive • Thermoreceptive System
3	Sensation of the Face (conts): • Somatosensory pathways • Physiology of pain • Higher processing of Somatosensory Information
4	The Visual System: • Physics of Light • Structure of the eye • Retina
5	The Visual System (cont.): • The visual pathway • Visual field defects • Colour vision
6	The Visual System (cont.): • Extrastriate visual cortex • Other visual pathways
7	The Auditory System: • Physics of sound • Anatomy of the auditory organs
8	The Auditory System: • Sound transduction • Central auditory pathways
9	Functional organization of the central auditory system: • Binaural interactions • Cortical organization • Audiometry and other hearing tests
10	The Vestibular System: • Structure of the vestibular apparatus • Vestibular transduction • Central vestibular pathways
11	The Chemical Senses: Taste sensation
12	The Chemical Senses: Smell sensation
13	Practical on vision and hearing
14	Common disorders involving special senses

Renal Physiology

No.	Topic
1	Functional anatomy and the nephron
2	Renal circulation
3	Glomerular filtration rate
4	Tubular function
5	Renal handling of Na⁺, H⁺, glucose
6	Renal handling of H₂O, K⁺, Cl⁻ and urea
7	Renal clearance
8	Renal blood flow (RBF)
9	Factors affecting the GFR
10	Regulation of GFR and RBF
11	Renin angiotensin aldosterone system
12	Countercurrent system
13	Urine test
14	Bladder filling and micturition

Gastrointestinal Physiology

No.	Topic
1	Functional anatomy of the gastro intestinal system
2	Components of the GIT: GIT hormones and receptors
3	Components of the GIT (cont.): • Brain–Gut axis • Smooth muscle of the gut • Immune system and GIT inflammation • Epithelia: biologic principles of organization
4	• Integrated response of the GIT and liver to a meal • Enteric nervous system • Sensory neurons of the GIT
5	Motility: • Esophageal motor function • Gastric motility and gastric emptying
6	Motility (cont.): • Motility of the small intestine and colon • Motility of the biliary tract
7	Secretion and absorption: Stomach
8	Secretion and absorption (cont.): Small intestine and colon
9	Secretion and absorption (cont.): Pancreatic, liver and gallbladder
10	Nutrition: Carbohydrate assimilation
11	Nutrition (cont.): Lipid
12	Nutrition (cont.): Protein digestion and assimilation
13	Nutrition (cont.): • Vitamin and mineral absorption • General nutritional principles
14	Miscellaneous: • Gastrointestinal blood flow • Growth and development of the GIT • Common pathological condition

Endocrine Physiology

No.	Topic
1	Endocrine glands and hormone-producing tissues of the body
2	Factors influencing hormonal action
3	Cerebro-hypothalamus-hypophyseal-target endocrine organ axis
4	Endocrine function of the hypothalamus
5	Functions of pituitary hormones and underlying diseases
6	Functions of thyroid hormones and related diseases
7	Functions of pancreatic hormones and consequences of insulin deficiency
8	Roles of hormones in the menstrual cycle
9	Roles of hormones in pregnancy
10	Hormonal function of the ovary and related diseases
11	Hormonal function of the placenta and related diseases
12	Male reproductive system
13	Diseases related to the male reproductive system
14	Endocrine and reproductive physiology and Islamic medical perspectives

Reproductive Physiology

No.	Topic
1	Functional anatomy of female reproductive system
2	Functional anatomy of male reproductive system
3	Physiological changes with puberty
4	Menstrual cycle
5	Pregnancy and maternal physiological adaptation
6	Hormonal function of the placenta and related diseases
7	Normal fetal growth and development; post-natal adaptation and adaptation to life after birth
8	• Cardiovascular structural and functional development • fetal fluid regulation and renal function • lung development and fetal breathing movements • fetal endocrinology • transition from fetal to neonatal life, lactation and early infant nutrition
9	Physiological changes in menopause and andropause
10	Hormonal contraception
11	Fertility, subfertility and infertility
12	Assisted reproductive techniques
13	Male reproductive system related diseases
14	Reproductive physiology and the Islamic medical perspectives

Physiology of the Central Nervous System II

No.	Topic
1	Hypothalamus structural organization: • Anatomy • Circuitry of the hypothalamus: − neural connections − limbic circuits − sensory and autonomic circuits − neuro-humoral connections − pituitary • functions of the hypothalamus
2	Central autonomic network I: • hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic structures • circuitry for hypothalamic control of the autonomic nervous system
3	Central autonomic network II: • the central autonomic network • central control of body temperature
4	• Disorders of central autonomic control (Horner’s syndrome, autonomic dysreflexia) • Disorders of thermoregulation (fever, heat stroke)
5	• Central control of feeding behavior • mechanisms of satiety
6	Disorders of feeding and satiety
7	Limbic system: Hippocampus • structure and function • output pathways of the hippocampus
8	Limbic system: Amygdala • inputs • major output pathways • functions
9	Learning and Memory: • Types of memory • Localization of memory • Mechanisms of memory
10	Higher cortical functions: Language •The Language areas • Five phases of language development
11	Higher cortical functions: disorders of language • The Aphasias • Broca Aphasia • Wernicke Aphasia • Global Aphasia
12	Higher cortical functions: association areas and cognitive processing
13	• Blood brain barrier and cerebral metabolism • Brain disorders and metabolism
14	• CNS and Aging • Biological Changes in the Absence of Disease in Aging Humans • Alzheimer’s Disease

Advance Physiology I

No.	Topic
1	Difference between cardiac, smooth and skeletal muscle
2	Skeletal muscle versus smooth muscle contraction
3	Local control of blood flow
4	Types of exercise
5	Physiologic support system: • Pulmonary system • Cardiovascular system
6	Physiologic support system (cont.): • Neuromuscular system • Hormones
7	Training and adaptations – Aerobic & Anaerobic
8	Factors affecting physiologic function during exercise
9	Physiological parameters
10	Health-related exercise benefits and disadvantages
11	Common injuries during exercise
12	Body fluid homeostasis
13	Haemorrhage and shock
14	Congestive cardiac failure

Cardiovascular Physiology

No.	Topic
1	The heart, blood vessels and blood structure and function: • The cardiovascular circuit • Blood components, groups and haemostasis
2	Electrical activity of the heart: • Cardiac autorhythmic cells • The cardiac contractile cells characteristic action potential
3	Electrical activity of the heart (conts): • Electrocardiography • Arrhythmias
4	The mechanical events of the cardiac cycle: • Cardiac output its determinants and control
5	Regulations of the heartbeat: • Autonomic nervous system • Control by the higher centres
6	Hemodynamics: • Velocity of the bloodstream • Relation between velocity and pressure • Relation between pressure and flow • Resistance to flow
7	The arterial system: • Arterial elasticity • Determinants of arterial blood pressure • Blood pressure measurement in humans • Regulatory mechanism of arterial blood pressure
8	The microcirculation and lymphatics: • The structure • Role of capillary endothelium • Lymphatics
9	Peripheral circulation and its control: • Intrinsic or local control of peripheral blood flow • Extrinsic control of peripheral blood flow
10	Regional circulation: • Coronary circulation • Cutaneous circulation • Skeletal muscle circulation • Renal circulation
11	Regional circulation (conts): • Cerebral circulation • Intestinal/hepatic circulation • Foetal circulation
12	Cardiovascular physiological adaptations in: • Exercise • Pregnancy
13	Cardiovascular physiological adaptation in common medical conditions: • Haemorrhage • Heart failure • Hypertension
14	Cardiovascular physiology and Islamic input: • Fiqh issues in cardiovascular diseases

Physiology of the Central Nervous System I

No.	Topic
1	The somatosensory pathways and processes
2	Pain principles: • Pain receptors, stimuli and pain fibers • Pain thresholds • Classification of pain and physiological basis of pain types (fast, slow, acute, chronic, superficial, deep, visceral)
3	• Physiological basis of referred pain and radiating pain • Physiological basis of inflammatory pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia • Pain pathways • Pain modulation
4	Thermoregulation: • Normal body temperature and physiological variations • Body heat production and heat loss • Temperature regulating mechanisms • Fever
5	• Organization of the motor system: − Function of the four levels of motor system (the spinal cord, the brain stem, the motor cortex and the association cortex) − Function of the motor system two side loop (the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, which interact with the hierarchy through connections with the thalamus.) • The spinal cord: − Motor unit, motor neurons, muscle fibers and muscle receptors. • Definition of upper motor neuron and lower motor neuron.
6	Spinal reflexes: • The function and control of stretch reflex • Reciprocal inhibition in the stretch reflex • Flexor reflex and crossed extension reflex • The reflex arc: monosynaptic, disynaptic and polysynaptic arc.
7	• Descending motor pathway: − Flexor-extensor rule − Proximal-distal rule • Influences of descending pathways on spinal circuits: − voluntary movement − involuntary movement (reflex modulation) − alpha-gamma co-activation
8	Descending motor pathway: • The control of voluntary and involuntary movements by the primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, and supplementary motor area • cortical afferents and efferents
9	Descending motor pathway: • The control of voluntary and involuntary movements by the cerebellum.
10	Descending motor pathways: • control of voluntary and involuntary movements by the basal ganglia
11	Disorders of the motor system: • cerebral cortex (stroke)
12	Disorders of the motor system: • Abnormal gait and movement disorders (Parkinson disease and Huntington’s disease).
13	Disorders of the motor system: • Abnormal posturing: (Decerebrate and decorticate rigidity).
14	CNS physiology and the Islamic perspectives.

Respiratory Physiology

No.	Topic
1	Structure of the respiratory system
2	Function of the respiratory system
3	Mechanics of ventilation and lung volumes
4	Physical properties of the lung
5	Ventilation/Perfusion ratio in different regions of the lung
6	Factors that determine V/P ratio
7	The transport of respiratory gases
8	Regulation of respiration
9	Respiratory changes in exercise
10	Respiratory failure (Type I and II)
11	Effects of breathing on heart rate and lung function tests
12	Hypoxia: its origins and consequences
13	• Acclimatization to high altitude
	• Effect of deep-sea diving on the body
14	Non-pulmonary function of the respiratory system

Master of Medical Sciences in physiology (Mixed Mode)

Master of Medical Sciences in physiology (Mixed Mode)