This course is designed to provide students with a review of immunology, microbiology, and genetics prior to beginning the clinical medicine phase of the didactic year. Immunology: Students will study the five structures of the immune system, cell-mediated immunity, humoral immunity, and the complement system, and gain an understanding of their role and function in the body’s defense mechanism against disease. Microbiology: Students will study the medical aspects of normal cell function, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. This portion of the course is designed to provide the basic knowledge necessary to understand the alterations that occur at the molecular and cellular level in disease states. Genetics: Students will study the role of genes and chromosomes in inheritance, the genetic basis of disease, and the role of the health care provider in genetic testing, counseling, and referral. The knowledge gained in this course will be essential to succeed in Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, and Clinical Medicine series as well as in the clinical phase of the program.