How to envision this course:

There are a number of ways to envision the Field Parasitology experience; a few of them are:

(1) As a course in humility and patience.

One of the first lessons we learn is that not all plans involving natural materials are easily carried to completion. Thus we are likely to have some class days that simply are not successful for a variety of reasons. My hope is that you will be patient with me and with yourselves when this happens, and take the experience as an authentic lesson in biology, as opposed to the often contrived biology lessons you get in city campus labs. You will also discover that joint efforts, involving a number of people from different backgrounds working toward a common goal always (always) take longer to complete than you think they should. Again, patience helps when class days get very long.

(2) As a course in public health

For those of you with interests in the health professions, Field Parasitology probably comes as close as you will come, unless you enroll in a public health program somewhere, to a course in epidemiology, disease distribution, infection rates as influenced by "social" factors, etc. The analytical tools we use in this course are very similar, and in some cases identical, to those used by professional epidemiologists. Indeed, some of the field exercises are very good mimics of tropical medicine research and epidemiological studies.

(3) As a course in microecology

We routinely analyze numbers, distributions, and population structures of parasites that occupy small animals such as insects, crustaceans, and fish. These hosts represent small, patchy, and ephemeral habitats that are occupied by even smaller organisms, their parasites. Thus we tend to use general ecological principles and techniques, and apply them at a microscopic scale.

(4) As a course in biodiversity

By definition, a study of parasitism involves a study of both the host and the parasite, thus two species, and their respective biologies, contribute to the relationship. The widespread (taxonomic) distribution of parasitism means that in five weeks a student can encounter a very large number of species from several phyla.

(5) As a course in pathology and diagnosis

Again, for those with interests in the health professions, Field Parasitology can be thought of as a continuing effort to discover "who" is infected with what and what the effects of that infection might be.

(6) As a course in invertebrate zoology

Many of the hosts we study, and all of the parasites, are invertebrates. You will constantly be asked to lean anatomy, taxonomy, identification, natural history, and ecology of invertebrates. The anatomy in particular may prove to be a challenge for some of you (as well as your instructor).

(7) As a course in the use of the microscope

Field Parasitology will constantly test your microscope skills. It is to your advantage to develop your instrumentation skills, and to work hard at learning to use this most common study device (the microscope). Development of a sense of how to use this instrument will pay off many times during your career.

(8) As a course in teaching

Field Parasitology is designed to illustrate general principles through use of short field exercises. The choice of biological materials is critical to the success of this endeavor. For those of you destined for the teaching profession, this course should help you learn to design studies that rely on easily available biological materials and integrate field work, identification, hypothesis testing, and data analysis.

(9) As a course in learning to deal with complexity

Parasite life cycles, communities, and invertebrate anatomy can all seem highly complex at first, mainly because the animals we encounter are often exotic and small. I try to help students get through their initial shock by (1) repeating certain experiences until these experiences become familiar ones, and (2) asking that you try, early on, the tasks that seem most difficult and unfamiliar.

(10) As a course in learning to generalize

The widespread distribution of parasitism means that you will see the same general phenomena manifested in several different animal groups that at size and numerical scales that vary over an order of magnitude or more. My hope is that you will learn to recognize general phenomena regardless of the scale and circumstance under which they are manifested.