Integrating Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Pharmacogenetics into a First‐year Medical School Foundational Module Using Active Learning Methodologies

Abstract

The University Of South Carolina School Of Medicine Greenville has adopted curricular strategies that emphasize vertical and horizontal integration of basic biomedical and clinical sciences with an emphasis on active learning approaches. This poster illustrates our methodologies for integrating pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenetics into foundational material presented to first‐year medical students. Foundational material is presented in the Molecular Foundations of Medicine Module, the first module in the first year of medical school. Module content includes cell biology, biochemistry, genetics and principles of pharmacology. The majority of content within this module is delivered through various types of active learning methodologies. Pharmacokinetics exercises utilized dynamic web pages incorporating random number generators with automated correction such that students were able to complete problems on drug dosing, absorption and elimination as often as necessary for mastery through self‐directed learning. An Excel spreadsheet graphing a single compartment model in which students could visually assess the consequences of altering drug dose, bioavailability, absorption and/or elimination relative to the basal tablet properties or intravenous administration of the same drug dose was used to complement the web page exercises. A second Excel spreadsheet showed plots of 5 dose‐response curves that students can alter/reposition by changing potency and efficacy parameters. Participation in these self‐directed exercises was tracked on‐line. Pharmacogenetics was introduced immediately after pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics using a self‐directed study guide where students completed problems and other questions related to content objectives listed for this topic. The integration of pharmacogenetics with pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics provided an effective venue for introducing first year medical students to the concepts of drug absorption, distribution and excretion as well as phenotypic variations in drug response associated with genotypic changes in phase I and phase II enzymes. Reading assignments as well as PowerPoint presentations were posted on the Canvas Web site to assist students in the completion of self‐directed activities. Assessment of this material included an additional graded in class problem assignment as well as relevant questions on the week's formative and final summative exams. As shown through the degree of student participation in classroom exercises, the use of self‐directed learning modalities appears to be a far more effective approach compared to didactic lectures to enhance student engagement when introducing this complex foundational material to M1 students.