INTEGRATIVE ALGORHYTHMS AND ETIOPATOGENETIC CLUSTERS AS STUDY METHODS TO BRIDGE THE CHASM BETWEEN THE BASIC SCIENCE AND PRACTICAL MEDICINE

Education in medicine has been facing a challenging problem of relations between basic biomedical sciences and clinical medicine. In postgenomic era emerging didactic issue is related both to contents and quantity of knowledge to be studied. Qualitative and quantitative nature of information and respective methodologies of research impose additional cognitive problem in medicine. The challenges are related to a real versus potential clinical relevance, molecular regulatory complexities, conceptualization of subsidiarity, robustness and nonlinearity of reactivity, and methodologies of teaching/learning (etc). Study of pathophysiology should provide reliable and integrative pathways and networking of etiological and pathogenetic components. In this paper general features of integrative algorhythms and etiopathogenetic clusters are shortly discussed. These two approaches provide step-by-step methodologies, which from the individual level (case reports, specific etiopathogenetic problem) expand into relevant vertical, horizontal andlongitudinal integration of disease phenomena. Both approaches impose active matrix-driven system and enforce reader’s participation and integration of knowledge. Both methodologies are elaborated in respective problem solver books, which are used in several universities with impressive success. They are convenient for self-education, as well. Both of them are using analytical and re-synthetical system of problem consideration. Human brain cognitive mechanisms seem to be akin to such synoptic approach and thus these methods have been accepted and praised as a student friendly by dozens of generations. Class teaching and real contact time has been converted into student-teacher bidirectional tutorship. Both sides have gained an advantage of teaching/learning procedure based on theseapproaches. The real power of both algorhythmic workout and etiopathogenetic clusters is in their simultaneous integral consideration of local and systemic processes of the disease. These methodologies seem to resolve and circumvent some biases of compartmentalized medicine and reductionistic nature of the research. They may contribute to reduction of collective cognitive chasm in medicine by bringing together basic and clinical knowledge. It seems that professional activities of both physicians and researches may be facilitated towards more fruitful efficiency in their efforts for tomorrow’s heath.