Twenty-sixth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

The first decades of the 21st Century witnessed a dramatic shift in the American job market, with the demand in health care professions outpacing more traditional career opportunities. As a result, higher education institutions are prioritizing the development and implementation of health care and medical programs. Students enrolled in such programs often start classes under the impression that studying only clinical disciplines will properly prepare them for their professional career. However, most programs start with core courses aimed at developing a holistic background for each student. Out of these courses, mathematics poses the most difficult for students due to its rigor and because students assume that it is unnecessary for health professions. This is evidently a flawed and misleading view since mathematics is deeply embedded in many biological and clinical disciplines. The present study identifies and organizes basic mathematical concepts needed for understanding significant topics taught in biochemistry, genetics and clinical courses. Future health care professionals need to be able to analyze quantitative data, create models, draw inferences, and support conclusions based on mathematical reasoning. Basic mathematical skills like measurements and units of measure, fractions, proportions, ratios and percentages are applied in practically all biomedical disciplines. More advanced concepts like exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and graph theory are often used for understanding difficult enzyme kinetics, population genetics, pharmacology or epidemiology problems. Ultimately, establishing connections between these concepts and clinical applications while teaching mathematics courses is essential for creating well-rounded and successful health care professionals.