Why study physiology

Physiology provides an explanation of life, and everyone—not just doctors and scientists—would benefit from understanding some essential physiological concepts. But to learn how physiology applies to everyday life, you must first understand what it is. Physiology is the study of how living organisms function in sickness and in health.

Physiologists study functions that may take place on a small scale, such as in molecules or individual cells, or in whole animals such as humans. Physiological research has led to breakthroughs in our understanding of how we move, reproduce, gain and lose weight, live, thrive, die and much more.

Because of this, a strong grasp of physiology is imperative for doctors and other health care providers who see patients and treat disease.

In science at the moment, there is a tendency to look downwards rather than upwards, at molecular mechanisms in preference to the often less tractable problems posed by systems as a whole.

Physiology is no exception, and the temptations to concentrate on molecular aspects of the subject - areas where new information is easier to come by, and where conceptual problems are less obvious - have never been stronger.

But, as Research Councils are keen to emphasize, the largest gaps in our knowledge are often how the molecules translate into the function - and malfunction - of the organism as a whole.

These questions are difficult to answer and sometimes, as in the case of the brain, difficult to formulate as well! For more information about the range of careers and skills you can develop through a physiology degree, click here. Explore physiology. Home Explore physiology What is physiology? What is physiology? What our videos to learn more! Example 1: Electrical activity of the heart. Example 2: How eyes detect light. What do physiologists do? Site search. If you find human biology interesting and want to know more about how the human body works — or why it sometimes fails to work properly — then Physiology is for you.

There are no specific secondary school subject requirements. However Year 13 Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are strongly recommended because they underpin Physiology principles.

Calculus and Statistics are also useful. In second year you cover the brain and nervous system; the heart, blood circulation, lungs and breathing; and the movement of substances in and out of our bodies and cells through the digestive system and kidneys. These build on the background provided in first year to provide a high level of knowledge across all body systems. During third year you can choose from five papers that focus at an advanced level on the above topics.

These will take you to the edge of current knowledge and the latest research related to both understanding the healthy body, and the changes that occur in disease. Physiology papers are taught via lectures, labs, group tutorials, computer-assisted and self- directed study, and regular assessments. The labs are very hands-on. They are organised into small groups, each with a personal tutor, offering a high level of support if needed.