Physiology is the study of how cells work, how they cooperate in organ systems like the heart or brain and how these organ systems function together in the whole body.
Some physiologists study insects or worms, some study fish, some study man.
Because knowing how the body works is essential for understanding why it goes wrong, physiology is the scientific basis of human and animal medicine, as well being a central part of zoology and agricultural science. All experimental scientists receive a general training that is of great value in later employment. They learn to think analytically - to break a problem down into its component parts and then to examine those parts critically. They also learn to assimilate and criticise the accumulated ideas of others. Development of writing and oral presentation skills is therefore an important component of the undergraduate training programme.