12. A program product, comprising: a computer storage readable medium containing a program, comprising: (a) a plurality of logical fields each having an access method that specifies at least a method to access the physical data associated with the logical field; (b) a plurality of model entities, wherein each model entity identifies (i) a set of logical fields, from the plurality of logical fields, that map to logically related physical data; and (ii) an identifier in the underlying database used to identify instances of the model entity; wherein a first logical field of each set of logical fields for each model entity includes a timeline attribute defining a timeline for the model entity and wherein a second logical field of each set of logical fields for each model entity defines where the physical data associated with the second logical field occurs on the timeline for the model entity; and (c) a database query application configured to receive a request to display data related to an instance of one of the plurality of model entities, and in response to receiving the request: retrieve, from a physical database, physical data corresponding to the set of logical fields for the instance model entity; display the timeline for the instance, based on the timeline attribute for the first logical field; and display an event on the timeline, based on the timeline attribute for the second logical field, wherein the event corresponds to the physical data associated with the second logical field, wherein the timeline attribute for the second logical field specifies that the event corresponding to the logical field comprises a duration type event, and wherein duration type events are rendered over a segment of the timeline that indicates, relative to the timeline for the instance of the model entity, a period of time when a condition symbolized by the event occurred.
13. The program product of claim 12 , further comprising: an instance event rendered on a single point on the timeline that indicates, relative to the timeline for the instance of the model entity, when the data was obtained or when an event symbolized by the data occurred.