Back to School – Pathology 501

Back to school looks a little different around the world this year, and UBC is no exception. As early as March many of us had to rapidly switch gears to online learning – whether it was our traditionally didactic lectures, hands on laboratories or a thesis defense – we seemed to get it all done. At the time it might have seemed a tall order and indeed it was. At the same time, we all recognized that this was likely going to be a transition for all of us on a larger scale, and for some time.

As the coordinator for Pathology 501, Foundations of human histopathology, it was clear back in May that we would need to quickly work towards synchronous and asynchronous approaches and means to bring hands on microscopy to a virtual setting. With terrific guidance from colleagues in our BMLSc program and fantastic assistance from Michael and our CTLT group at UBC, we are nearly there.

However, in driving to accommodate what looked like limited access to traditional classroom settings, I was also aware that we might be losing some of the impact of some of our lectures – and one particular lecture in Pathology 501 came to mind. Pathology 501 itself focuses on bridging pathology with histology – the study of tissues. Students learn to manage microscopes, but focus on the examination of tissues and relate the structure and function of cells and tissues to human biology and disease.

Pathology at its heart is the study of disease, and is core to the research and practice of everyone in our department. I still recall when I trained in our UBC Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PALM) graduate program that my first and primary exposure to pathology was taking Pathology 500g with the second year medical students.

The greatest impression was made by our very own Dr. David Hardwick, as he presented concepts related to cell injury and death emphasizing how they are at the underpinnings of medicine. The simplicity and practicality with which he presented these concepts left a definite impression, and a foundation of pathology which we have tried to conserve in Pathology 501.

As I considered how to prepare the course to be “Zoom ready” I reached out to Dr. Hardwick about his lecture for the fall. As we talked about managing online platforms, I realized again how much the students valued his lecture each year and thought more about how we could offer this foundational lecture not only this year, but in years to come. I reached out to UBC media, terrific folks like John Cheng (Educational Consultant: Learning Design) at CTLT, and eventually was linked to Zachary Rothman and his exceptional team at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine EdTech: Technology Enabled Learning & Innovation. After a few planning calls with Dr. Hardwick and a lot of preliminary preparation from Zach and his crew we were set to roll: filming Dr. Hardwick in June giving his lecture at the UBC Medical Student Alumni Centre (MSAC).

The location could not have been more fitting, given that Dr. Hardwick was instrumental in establishing the MSAC. This is just one of the many contributions he has made to UBC and the scholarship of education at UBC. Dr. Hardwick has been involved with the UBC for more than sixty years as both a student and professor, and is a Professor Emeritus. It has been such a pleasure to work with him, and given the incredible contributions he has made to Pathology at UBC and across Canada. I think the lecture serves as an important foundation for pathology as well as a terrific and important tribute to Dr. Hardwick as a clinician, scientist and educator. Dr. Hardwick, thank you again for all you have done – here at UBC and beyond!