New Osher Lifelong Learning Classes Begin May 8

The campus community is invited to hear the latest in medicine and the health sciences at the spring quarter of UCSF's Mini Medical School, which begins May 8. Presented by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UCSF, the new program begins with three courses: "Pharmacy 102 - Your Medicine, Your Health, Your Money;" "Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Integrating Care for Your Health & Wellness;" and "Brain, Mind and Behavior: A Remarkable Universe." OLLI Mini Medical School lectures feature the same world-renowned faculty who teach UCSF students in the health professions. The "Pharmacy 102" course will provide perspectives on breakthrough medicines, drug safety, drug clinical trials, preventing medication errors, and drug costs. The course will be held Tuesday evenings, May 8 through June 12. The "Complementary and Alternative Medicine" course will address healthy aging, spirituality and health, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and mind-body-spirit medicine and herbs and supplements. Classes will be held Wednesday evenings, May 9 through June 13. The "Brain, Mind and Behavior" course will discuss new discoveries in brain sciences that allow us to better understand how the mind works, memory and desire, emotions and health, pain, seizures, stroke and psychiatric drugs. Classes will be held Thursday evenings, May 10 through June 14. All classes will be held on the UCSF campus, 513 Parnassus Ave., from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Each class includes a one-hour lecture followed by a question-and-answer session. Tuition is $75 for one course, $130 for two courses, and $185 for all three courses. Parking in the UCSF campus garage is $3 per evening. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UCSF is supported by a grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation, and sponsored by the UCSF schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy, the UCSF Medical Center and the UCSF Public Affairs department. For more information or to register, call the UCSF Public Affairs office at 415/476-2557 or visit the website. "Pharmacy 102 - Your Medicine, Your Health, Your Money" * May 8: "Breakthrough Medicines" by R. W. Soller, PhD * May 15: "Social Change & Health Crises: The Basis for Drug Safety Today" by R. W. Soller, PhD * May 22: "The International Crisis in Health and Drug Access: Impact on the Nation" by Brian McGee, PharmD, MS * May 29: "Drug Studies: Who, What, When, Where, and Why" by John Flaherty, PharmD * June 5: "Preventing Medication Errors" by Dan Dong, PharmD * June 12: "Pharmacoeconomics: Measuring the Value of Drug Therapy" by Chris Leibman, PharmD, MS "Complementary and Integrative Medicine: Integrating Care for Your Health & Wellness" * May 9: "Healthy Aging: Ways to Optimize Your Health" by Donald Abrams, MD * May 16: "Spirituality and Health: What Does the Medical Literature Say?" by Michael Rabow, MD * May 23: "Mind-Body-Spirit Medicine" by Kevin Barrows, MD * May 30: "Traditional Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture, Meridians and Chi" by Beverly Burns, MS, LAc * June 6: "Ayurvedic Medicine: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times" by Sudha Prathikanti, MD * June 13: "Herbs and Supplements 101: What Every Consumer Needs to Know" by Ellen Hughes, MD, PhD "Brain, Mind and Behavior: A Remarkable Universe" * May 10: "Why Do We Give Drugs for Depression?" by Steve Hamilton, MD, PhD * May 17: " Mixing Memory and Desire: The Interplay of Brain and Mind " by Sophia Vinogradov, MD * May 24: "Emotions and Health: The Promise of Mind-Body Medicine" by Jason Satterfield, PhD * May 31: "Pain and the Brain" by Allan Basbaum, PhD * June 7: "Epilepsy: 'The Sacred Disease'" by Daniel Lowenstein, MD * June 14: "Management of Stroke: New Advances" by Scott Josephson, MD