ANESTH 445C
Physiology & Medicine of Extreme Environments
Bruce James Derrick
Description from DukeHub
Advanced topics in the physiology and medicine of: altered ambient pressure, immersion, gravity, temperature, breathing gas composition. Environments considered will include: diving and hyperbaric medicine; exercise physiology; hot/cold terrestrial and water operations; microgravity and high-g acceleration; high altitude; space. Basic mechanisms and medical management of associated diseases are examined, to include: decompression sickness, altitude sickness, hypothermia and hyperthermia, hypoxia, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen toxicity. Practical applications: pressure vessel design and operation, life support equipment, cardiorespiratory physiology measurements at low and high pressure, optional simulated chamber dive and/or flight (optional). Optional supplemental reading: Human Physiology in Extreme Environments by Hanns-Christian Gunga and The Biology of Human Survival Life and Death in Extreme Environments by Claude A Piantadosi. Prerequisites: Human anatomy and physiology. Attendance, either on-line via zoom or in person is MANDATORY unless otherwise approved by the course director to receive credit. Excused absences need to be made up by viewing the recorded lecture and completion of quiz. Examinations are open notes / open book quiz for each module. The course will meet weekly on Thursday evenings from 5:00pm until 7:30pm, beginning in January, for 8 weeks. Most lectures will be via Zoom. Practical experience/simulated dive at the Hyperbaric Center Library (room 0584), located in the Duke South, Basement Level, White Zone. Permission required for enrollment. For more information, contact Dr. Bruce Derrick, email (contact listed in DukeHub). Secondary contact: Tonya Manning, email (contact listed in DukeHub). Credit: 1, Non-Direct Patient Care credit. Enrollment: max 20, min. 10. Bruce Derrick, MD, and Richard Moon, MD
Skills
AI-resilient: 2 of 5
- Yes: Physical, lab or field work · "diving"
- Yes: Live work with people · "patient"
- No: Judgment someone is accountable for
- No: A craft you practice with your hands or body
- No: Small, in-person format
The checks lean on Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025), which found generative AI applies least to physical work and hands-on work with people. A signal, not a promise. How the score works
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