This course focuses on a key skill for scientists: how to effectively read and interpret scientific papers. The course takes the format of a classroom discussion of primary scientific literature, moderated by faculty from SOM's two basic science departments. The students will read journal articles provided to them on Blackboard and discuss these articles in class, with an emphasis on evaluating experimental support for the paper's claims, rigor in data analysis and the use of different methods to communicate ideas in a research manuscript.