About Physiology, BA (Hons) - at Trinity College Dublin
What is physiology?Physiology is the study of how cells work, how they co-operate in organs like the heart or brain and how these organs function together in the body as a whole. Because knowing how the body works is essential for understanding why it goes wrong, physiology is the scientific basis of human and animal medicine, as well as being a central part of disciplines like zoology and agricultural science.
What will you study?Physiology at Trinity focuses on human physiology and how this is affected by disease, although understanding this will also involve you studying comparisons in mammalian species other than man. There is a particular emphasis on themes which reflect major research interests in the department, including brain function and responses to physical exercise. As a student of physiology you will be provided with a detailed understanding of a range of cell and organ systems, and will receive training in scientific methodology, experimental design, data analysis and resource skills.
During the second half of the Senior Sophister (fourth) year you will undertake an individual research project. This project will be based within the department or in one of our associated hospital departments and will include a literature survey and production of a written dissertation. Some typical recent research projects have looked at cannabis neurotoxicity, gastric motility in patients with pancreatitis, respiratory function in lung disease, synaptic mechanisms of memory formation, cardiovascular costs of athletic training and muscle performance after different warm-up protocols.
Career opportunitiesWhen you graduate you will be able to use your general scientific training and specialised knowledge of physiology to find employment in a wide variety of jobs. You may pursue further training in physiology and become a research scientist in a hospital, the pharmaceutical industry, a government agency or a university. Or you may work in a health-related field such as medicine, physiotherapy, pharmacy or fitness counselling.
