2023-2024 Basic and Clinical Science Course, Section 01: Update on General Medicine

Major Revision

Section 1 of the Academy’s Basic and Clinical Science Course™ (BCSC^®) provides thorough information on general areas of medicine, including endocrine disorders, cerebrovascular disease, infectious diseases, cancer, behavioral and neurologic disorders, and geriatrics.

This BCSC volume also covers topics such as using research to improve clinical practice, perioperative management in ocular surgery and management of medical emergencies that the ophthalmologist might encounter.

To address an important and timely issue, this major revision includes a chapter on social determinants of health (SDOH). This chapter discusses the categories of SDOH, as well as the impact of SDOH on patient wellness. This revised volume also includes new subsections on COVID-19 and a new table on ocular side effects of biologics and targeted drugs. In addition, “Ophthalmic Considerations” explore various ophthalmologic topics, connecting them to the concepts presented in this volume.

Section 1 covers the latest recommendations for treating hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and includes four videos (sample), two of which demonstrate responses to in-office emergency situations.

Upon completion of Section 1, readers should be able to:

• Discuss the impact of social determinants of health on patient wellness
• Describe the various factors to consider in critically reviewing clinical research
• Explain the importance of the randomized controlled clinical study in evaluating the effects of new treatments
• Describe the classification, pathophysiology, and presentation of diabetes, as well as the diagnostic criteria for this disease

Section chair: Herbert J. Ingraham, MD