Mini-Medical School will be back in session at the Health Center, starting March 28. The lecture series, which began in 1992, is designed to introduce the public to the basic sciences underlying today's medical knowledge and to familiarize laypersons with an overview of medical topics and the basic sciences.

"We are very pleased to offer this program to our community again," says Bruce Koeppen, dean for academic affairs and education at the School of Medicine. "It's a wonderful opportunity for people to learn more about the causes and treatment of disease and become better informed health-care consumers and ultimately active participants in their health care."

The six-week program will focus on such topics as genetics, viral diseases, biology and ethics. School of Medicine faculty will present the lectures, which are similar to a medical school class, but presented in simpler terms. "These lectures also give the public an opportunity to learn about medical school curriculum and the importance of science as it relates to medical knowledge," says Koeppen.

The mini-medical school at UConn was originally one of two such programs in the nation. Since then, it has become a model for many other medical schools around the country.

Mini-Medical School will be held every Tuesday for six weeks, March 28 through May 2, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the medical school's Blue Auditorium lecture hall adjacent to the Academic Entrance lobby. To register, call (860) 679-7692 or (800) 535-6232. A payment of $30 is required to cover the cost of materials.

Early registration is recommended. "As in our School of Medicine, we have a limited enrollment," says Dr. Koeppen. "It's a popular program. Past series reached full enrollment very quickly, and we anticipate a similar response this time."

Jane Shaskan