Table 5.
Microbiology, chemistry and physics topics ranked as moderate priority (3 – 3.99) by academics (ranking: 1 = lowest priority to 5 = highest priority)
| Topic | Mean/SD | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Microbiology | ||
| Bacteria | 3.87 ± 0.35 | 3-4 |
| Viruses | 3.80 ± 0.41 | 3-4 |
| Control of microbial growth | 3.75 ± 0.56 | 2-4 |
| Disease transmission | 3.73 ± 0.65 | 2-4 |
| The role of antiseptic, soap and alcohol | 3.73 ± 0.48 | 3-4 |
| Common infectious diseases | 3.67 ± 0.65 | 2-4 |
| Vaccines | 3.57 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Fungi | 3.55 ± 0.69 | 2-4 |
| Control of microbial growth | 3.53 ± 0.74 | 2-4 |
| Chemical and physical requirements for microbial growth | 3.53 ± 0.51 | 2-4 |
| Virulence and resistance | 3.50 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Asepsis | 3.50 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Principles of epidemiology | 3.48 ± 0.75 | 2-4 |
| Reservoirs and vectors (e.g. mosquitos) | 3.40 ± 0.82 | 2-4 |
| Protozoans | 3.40 ± 0.60 | 2-4 |
| Helminths (worms) | 3.33 ± 0.84 | 2-4 |
| History and scope of microbiology | 3.33 ± 0.77 | 2-4 |
| Microbiological tools, techniques and procedures | 3.29 ± 0.85 | 2-4 |
| Eukaryotics and prokaryotics | 3.29 ± 0.77 | 3-4 |
| Relationship of microbes and cancer | 3.27 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Biotechnology | 3.15 ± 0.81 | 2-4 |
| Algae | 3.11 ± 0.83 | 2-4 |
| Chemistry | ||
| Electrolytes | 3.88 ± 0.34 | 3-4 |
| pH as a scale of acidity, buffers, body buffer systems and blood gases | 3.73 ± 0.46 | 3-4 |
| Chemical symbols – e.g. Na, K, Ca | 3.73 ± 0.59 | 2-4 |
| Diffusion | 3.69 ± 0.48 | 3-4 |
| Osmosis | 3.69 ± 0.48 | 3-4 |
| Concentration, solubility in making solutions, solutions and body fluids | 3.65 ± 0.61 | 2-4 |
| Protein, carbohydrate and lipid chemical structures | 3.65 ± 0.61 | 2-4 |
| Hydration | 3.62 ± 0.51 | 3-4 |
| Filtration | 3.56 ± 0.62 | 2-4 |
| Catalysts, enzymes | 3.47 ± 0.70 | 2-4 |
| Anaerobic and aerobic respiration | 3.46 ± 0.66 | 2-4 |
| Catabolism and Anabolism | 3.41 ± 0.67 | 2-4 |
| Production of ATP | 3.35 ± 0.75 | 2-4 |
| Citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) and electron transport chain | 3.29 ± 0.78 | 2-4 |
| Periodic table | 3.20 ± 0.78 | 2-4 |
| Covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonds | 3.11 ± 0.81 | 2-4 |
| Organic chemistry – alkanes, alkenes, alkyls, alcohols | 3.05 ± 0.85 | 2-4 |
| Chemical equations | 3.05 ± 0.78 | 2-4 |
| Chemical change | 3.00 ± 0.84 | 2-4 |
| Physics | ||
| Measurement – quantities | 3.56 ± 0.88 | 2-4 |
| Temperature and heat transfer | 3.56 ± 0.71 | 2-4 |
| Fluid flow: length/radius of tube; viscosity; resistance; flow rate; venturi effect | 3.50 ± 0.69 | 2-4 |
| Measurement - relationship of volume to weight | 3.44 ± 0.63 | 2-4 |
| Measurement - errors | 3.33 ± 0.89 | 2-4 |
| Pressure, pressure in fluids, pressure gradients and pressure between solids | 3.30 ± 0.87 | 2-4 |
| Measurement - graphing | 3.27 ± 0.88 | 2-4 |
| Gas laws | 3.24 ± 0.75 | 2-4 |
| Friction | 3.22 ± 0.81 | 2-4 |
| Phototherapy | 3.20 ± 0.78 | 2-4 |
| Acceleration, speed and velocity, | 3.20 ± 0.68 | 2-4 |
| Gravity and centre of gravity | 3.20 ± 0.68 | 2-4 |
| Electricity – electrical conductivity | 3.19 ± 0.83 | 2-4 |
| Principles of MRI and issues | 3.11 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Principles of Ultrasound and issues | 3.11 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Principles of X-ray, CT, Fluoroscopy and issues | 3.11 ± 0.81 | 2-4 |
| Exothermic and endothermic reactions | 3.08 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Matter - Atoms, isotopes, properties of elements, cations, anions, flammability of elements, effect of heat on matter | 3.00 ± 0.79 | 2-4 |
| Light - light sensors | 3.00 ± 0.89 | 2-4 |
| Force and motion, vectors | 3.00 ± 0.76 | 2-4 |
| Sound – auscultation and stethoscope use | 3.00 ± .1.00 | 2-4 |