M1 Sequence Overview
Infectious Disease / Microbiology
Sequence Directors

Carol Kauffman, M.D.
Professor, Internal Medicine
Email: ckauff@umich.edu

Donna Shewach, Ph.D.
Professor, Pharmacology
Email: dshewach@umich.edu

Mike Imperiale, Ph.D.
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Email: imperial@umich.edu
Sequence Description

The Microbiology/Infectious Diseases Sequence is a five-week block of lectures, small group exercises, and individual assignments that comes near the end of the first year of medical school. It is a combined effort of faculty from the Divisions of Infectious Diseases in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Department of Pharmacology. The sequence will introduce students to medical microbiology, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial therapy, and will focus on pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of various infectious diseases.

Sequence Goals

  1. To gain an understanding of the roles the normal microbiota play in maintaining homeostasis and pathogenic microorganisms play in causing disease.
  2. To gain knowledge about the various types of microorganisms and how they are differentiated from each other.
  3. To understand the pathogenesis of the most important infectious diseases in humans.
  4. To gain an understanding of the symptoms and signs which are commonly seen when infection occurs in different organs.
  5. To learn basic concepts regarding the approach to the diagnosis of infectious diseases.
  6. To learn the approach to establishing the cause of an outbreak.
  7. To understand the mode of action of the antimicrobial agents that are used to treat infections.
  8. To gain knowledge about the measures that are used to prevent infections.