Pharmacology Course Research Articles

Sharing of Teaching Strategies in Pharmacology for Medical Undergraduates

According to the characteristics of pharmacology course, the teaching strategies for medical undergraduates were shared from the angle of dealing with the key and difficult contents. During the offline classroom teaching, forming an overall outline was focused, the impression of key drugs was deepened, the main line of content was clarified, and a total-separate-total structure was used. Part of the content was presented with the help of online teaching resource and software. Also the after-school teaching evaluation and feedback should be considered seriously. All the above strategies will finally get better results in teaching.

Practice and Exploration of Curriculum Ideological and Political Education in the Construction of Online Courses in Medical Universities

Objective: Explore new methods and functions of ideological and political education in the construction of online courses. Methods: Taking the construction of the online course of Chinese medicine pharmacology as an example, the necessity of ideological and political education in the construction of online course is analyzed. At the same time, combined with the disciplinary characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology, it analyzes the new methods and effects of ideological and political education integration. Results: Ideological and political education integrates the construction of online courses, which can be integrated into the foreword of the times, models of the times, cutting-edge technology and professional cases, so as to enhance students’ patriotism, ideological morality, innovative thinking and professional skills. Conclusion: Ideological and political education runs through the construction of online courses, so as to provide new ideas for the training of students majoring in Chinese pharmacy.

Impact of self-medication among first and second year para medical students of a teaching hospital in Dakshina Kannada, South India: A comparative assessment

Introduction: Self-medication is said to be widely practiced among students perceiving careers in medical and health related courses and learning pharmacology might further influence this practice. Hence this study is done to assess the knowledge, attitude and self-medication practices among first and second year paramedical students & to assess the role of studying Pharmacology in this behavior. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during May 2017 with a self- structured and pre-validated questionnaire. Study population consisted of two groups, mainly 1st and 2nd year paramedical students who have completed the Pharmacology course. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses. Results: 95% of respondents from group I and 93% from group II have practiced self-medication at least once. 3.8% of respondents had experienced adverse effects. Drugs commonly used for self-medication were analgesics (58% of group I & 49% of group II) antibiotics (32% of group I & 40% of group II). Awareness about dosage, ADR’s, antibiotic resistance was significantly higher in group II. Both groups demonstrated adequate knowledge regarding self-medication. Conclusion: Second year paramedical students had a better knowledge about self-medication, which reflects the influence of medical training. Keywords: Paramedical students, Pharmacology, Self-medication, Teaching.

A study on knowledge, attitude and practice of over the counter drugs among 3rd year medical students of a teaching hospital in Dakshina Kannada, South India

Introduction: Over the Counter (OTC) drugs are medicines, available without a prescription, and hence also referred to as ‘nonprescription drugs’. These drugs include tonics, iron preparations, vitamin medications, analgesics, NSAIDS, cough syrups, dermatological products, drugs for pyrexia, laxatives etc. Usage of OTC drugs can lead to unwanted drug interactions, misuse / abuse of drugs and ADRs. So it is important to assess people’s knowledge and understanding about OTC drugs. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted during October 2017 with a self-structured and pre-validated questionnaire. Study group consisted of ninety 3rd year medical students who have completed the Pharmacology course. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses. Results: In this study, it was observed that 94.5% of the students were aware of OTC drugs. Among 90 students, 87 students ((96.7%) have used OTC drugs at least once. Fever (43.3%) followed by headache (38.9%) were the most common illnesses for which OTC drugs used. Difficulty in consulting doctor and easy availability of drugs were some of the reasons for using OTC drugs. Medical books and advertisements were the most common source of information used to know about OTC drugs. Most number of students (76.7%) were aware of toxicities and interactions of drugs which could be seen because of irrational use of OTC medications. Conclusion: This study shows that majority of the students were aware of OTC drugs and used them regularly. Fever, headache was the most common illness for seeking medication. Easy availability, difficulty in consulting doctor were some of the reasons for using OTC drugs. Majority of the students used medical text books and advertisements as the source of information to know about OTC drugs. There is also need to create awareness and educate students regarding advantages and disadvantages of using OTC drugs by the teaching faculties in the institutions. Keywords: Attitude, Medical students, Knowledge, Over the Counter, Pharmacology, Practice.

Descriptive study of how proportioning marks determines the performance of nursing students in a pharmacology course

BackgroundIn programs with higher proportions of marks allocated to ongoing assessment, the students have higher overall marks than those with a lower proportion allocated to assessment. Little or no attention has been made to how the allocation affects the academic success of students in individual courses. The purpose of this study was to determine how the allocation of marks to examinations, tutorials and an assignment affects the performance of nursing students in a pharmacology course.MethodsFor students who passed a pharmacology course (i) the marks for examinations and ongoing assessment (tutorials and/or an assignment) were compared, and (ii) regression line and correlation analysis was undertaken to determine any association between these marks. In addition, for completing students, modelling was undertaken to determine the effects of changing the allocation of marks on passing and failing rates.ResultsNursing students who passed a pharmacology course obtained significantly lower marks in examinations than ongoing assessment, and for the ongoing assessment, lower marks in the assignment than tutorials. Regression line analysis showed that the marks in ongoing assessment (tutorials and/or the assignment) versus examination marks were a poor line-fit. The correlation coefficients between ongoing assessment and examinations were weak to moderate. A high percentage of students passed the course (> 90%) and, modelling for completing students, showed that decreasing the marks for examination would have led to slightly more students passing the pharmacology course with higher grades. In contrast, increasing the marks for examination would have dramatically decreased the number of students passing the course, and their grades.ConclusionsThe allocation of marks can have a major effect on student performance. As ongoing assessment is only a weak or moderate indicator of performance in examination this has implications for students who rely on passing examinations for their advancement. For instance, nursing students in some countries (e.g. USA) are required to pass examinations prior to registration, whereas in others (e.g. Australia) they are not. Consideration needs to be given as to whether it is appropriate for nursing students who fail examinations to pass courses/programs.

Impact of Low-fidelity Simulation-based Experiences in a Pharmacology Classroom Setting in Prelicensure Graduate Nursing Education

BackgroundSimulation in a pharmacology nursing class has positive outcomes related to knowledge and confidence in undergraduate nursing education. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of simulation on knowledge, confidence, and competence in a prelicensure graduate pharmacology class. SampleA convenience sample was comprised of graduate prelicensure nursing students (N = 44) enrolled in a nursing pharmacology course. The sample was divided into an experimental (n = 21) and control (n = 23) group. MethodThis was a quasi-experimental comparison group pre/posttest research study. The Medication Administration Competence and Confidence Scale (MACCS) and the Medication Safety Knowledge Assessment (MSKA) were used to measure student confidence, competence, and knowledge prior to and then following three low-fidelity simulation-based experiences (SBE). ResultsThe experimental group had a statistically significant difference in both self-reported confidence in safe medication administration and pharmacology knowledge. ConclusionSimulation is an effective teaching method for teaching graduate prelicensure students safe medication administration.

Exploration and Practice of Ideological and Political Teaching Reform in Pharmacology Course

Exploration and Practice of Ideological and Political Teaching Reform in Pharmacology Course

Can You Escape? The Pharmacology Review Virtual Escape Room

Background. Clinical learning activities in a pre-licensure nursing program are challenging to rapidly convert to an online format due to their objectives to provide hands-on practice. Previously, students spent their final day of pharmacology participating in low-fidelity lab-based, simulated pharmacology activities. Due to a public health crisis, the instructional team had to quickly change course to create an equally engaging virtual activity that provided opportunities for clinical judgment. Aim. In this article, we discuss a virtual pharmacology escape room created using Google forms for pre-licensure nursing students prior to their final pharmacology course exam. The learning objectives were to review difficult course concepts by making clinical decisions and to practice using medication protocols. Methods. The design and evaluation of a virtual pharmacology escape room are presented to reflect a learner centered approach. Key considerations when designing the escape room were to best use the students’ time, to focus on content frequently missed on exams by the student cohort, and to include medication protocols commonly encountered during the clinical part of their program. Results. Surveys provided positive feedback from learners along with suggestions for strengthening future escape room activities. Most students reported the activity provided opportunities for clinical judgment and was helpful for learning. Conclusion. Benefits of virtual escape rooms are they can be created at no cost to educators of learners and easily accessed using personal electronic devices. Future applications include designing additional escape rooms to aid student learning in challenging nursing coursework, such as pharmacology and clinical courses.

Adaptation of laboratory practices in a pharmacology course at a public university in Peru


 
 
 
 The focus of this case study is the implementation of a pedagogical strategy to adapt the laboratory practices of the Pharmacology course in a Peruvian public university, where animals such as rats and mice are routinely used. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the consequent virtualisation of the teaching-learning process, several academic challenges were posed. The ‘Practical Seminars’ have arisen as a pedagogical proposal that allows faculty to adapt to the conditions of society. They are designed based on selected articles that reflect experiments with drugs, where selected information is adapted, such as graphs, images and even videos. By posing analysis questions allows for students’ previous knowledge to be checked; thus promoting an applied critical attitude to clinical situations. With this resource the faculty tried to recreate a significant space for self-learning. The results of students’ partial evaluation reflects a performance similar to that of previous years of the course, with teaching staff accepting this modality well. Finally, a space for analysis was generated, in addition to dispensing with the use of experimental animals.
 
 
 

Community engaged service in pathophysiology and pharmacology.

When community engaged service learning (CESL) is integrated as a component of nursing education, student learning outcomes are improved. Utilizing this pedagogical strategy in undergraduate pathophysiology and pharmacology courses comes with a unique set of challenges and barriers. However, integrating this high impact, evidence-informed approach offers an opportunity for students to advance knowledge of course concepts while meeting the needs of underserved community groups. Forty-two sophomore level nursing students enrolled in pathophysiology and pharmacology completed semester long projects in the community. Student reflective responses were collected, analyzed for content, and revealed themes of perceived community connection, empathy, and empowerment to become community engaged leaders.

Initiative to improve student perceptions of relevance and value in a top 200 drugs course through improved curricular alignment and course modification

Problem description: When course evaluations and student feedback demonstrated a decline in student perceptions of a Top 200 Drugs course, proposed modification focused on curricular alignment to impact those perceptions in a positive manner.Quality improvement methods: Student course evaluations and feedback from student leaders were reviewed to determine elements of course structure and design for modification. The following areas were identified: quantity of assessment content, frequency of class meetings, in-person vs. online, and self-paced vs. instructor-guided learning. Changes in student perceptions were determined through comparison of subsequent course evaluations to those of the previous four years. Course evaluations focused on coordinator availability, course organization, exam management, and achievement of course objectives.Results of CQI inquiry: The review of course evaluations showed improvement in all focus areas following modifications to course structure and design. Student free-text comments provided further insight for descriptive analysis.Interpretation and discussion: The evaluation score improvement was consistent with student comments. Contributing factors included curricular alignment, frequency of examinations, examination content, and faculty-guided learning through lecture and active learning. Alignment to pharmacology courses highlighted the relevance and value through the union of pharmaceutical sciences, clinical sciences, and pharmacy practice instruction.Conclusions: The alignment versatility of Top Drugs makes it ideal for bridging pharmaceutical and clinical sciences to bring relevance and value to students. The instructors will continue to offer the Top Drugs course in this format. Further plans for research include additional layers of curricular alignment and innovative active learning.

Evaluating pharmacy student use of ExamSoft strength and opportunity reports

IntroductionThis paper assesses use of ExamSoft strength and opportunity (S&O) reports amongst doctor of pharmacy students, student perceptions of the reports, and the effect of instructing students on how best to use the reports. MethodsSecond-year pharmacy students enrolled in the medicinal chemistry and pharmacology course sequence completed a baseline survey regarding use of S&O reports in the fall semester. Educational interventions describing best practices on how to use the S&O report were provided to students. A follow-up survey was conducted in the winter semester. ResultsEighty-four percent (69/82) of students returned a valid baseline survey, and 89% (71/80) returned a valid follow-up survey. At baseline, 55% (38/69) always/sometimes downloaded the report; this increased to 68% (48/71) after educational interventions (P = .06). Students who downloaded the report were asked to provide their perceived usefulness of the S&O report. At baseline, 76% (29/38) of students downloading the report rated it as either somewhat/very useful; this increased to 94% (45/48) following educational interventions (P = .002). Fewer students reported not being able to interpret the report post-intervention vs. baseline, although the decrease was not significant (9% vs. 21%, respectively; P = .07). ConclusionsOur findings indicate that providing students with a downloadable S&O report after exams is beneficial. There was a trend towards increased student use and a significant increase in perceived usefulness of the report following brief educational interventions. Our pilot data suggest that educational interventions on use of S&O reports should be included in student ExamSoft training.

Undergraduate nursing students' pharmacology knowledge and risk of error estimate

BackgroundIn the United States alone, medication error causes injury to approximately 1.3 million people every year. Frequently, nurses have been blamed for the high rates of medication administration errors. Factors associated with medication error by nurses are categorized as personal, contextual and knowledge-based. There is evidence in the literature that showed nurses have insufficient knowledge in pharmacology. PurposeThe overall purpose of this study was to estimate the risk of error based on the combined scores on pharmacology knowledge and self-rated certainty scores of undergraduate nursing students. MethodA cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted. Students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program who completed or were currently taking the pharmacology course were eligible for the study. Based on power analysis, a sample of 156 students was needed to reach 80% power with a level of significance of 0.05. A 42-item Pharmacology Knowledge Questionnaire (PKQ) test was administered, and students were asked to provide their level of certainty for each of their answers. Risk of error was calculated based on the combined scores in PKQ and self-rated certainty scores. Results147 nursing students, 83% females with a mean age of 24 (SD = 5) years, participated in the study. Mean score in the PKQ was 25 (SD = 3.51) out of 42 items, which is equivalent to a grade of 60% (with a calculated weighted mean grade of 56%). Drug calculation was the subject area where students had the lowest mean score. Mean overall risk of error for all 42 items in the PKQ was 1.7 (SD = 0.14), on a scale of 0–3. This means that, on average, high risk of error was noted in 14% of the students who rated incorrect answers with high certainty. Positive correlations were noted between age and pharmacology score, and between when pharmacology course was last taken and risk of error. A negative correlation was noted between when pharmacology course was last taken and pharmacology score.

Student Characteristics Associated with Passing the Exam in Undergraduate Pharmacology Courses\u2014a Cross-sectional Study in Six University Degree Programs

Adequate knowledge in pharmacology is crucial in many professions but a non-negligible proportion of students fail the exams and knowledge of underlying factors is largely lacking. This study was performed to evaluate to what extent various factors are related to student performance in pharmacology-related courses in higher education, linking administrative data to attendance at non-mandatory teaching sessions and questionnaire replies. A total of 596 students (median age: 22 years; 70% female) were included from eight courses which are part of either the medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, or biomedical analyst degree programs at the Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden. In all, 380 (64%) students passed the regular program- and course-specific exam. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a high participation rate in non-mandatory teaching sessions, as well as a perceived great interest in pharmacology, was associated with students’ passing of the exam; adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.30 (1.19 to 1.42; per 10 percentage unit increase in attendance) and 3.38 (1.86 to 6.12), respectively. Working for wages during the course weeks and pre-university grades used in the program application were significant factors in subgroups of students, negatively and positively associated with the exam results, respectively. Age, having Swedish as a second language, and time spent studying were only associated with the exam result in the univariate analyses. To conclude, both students and teachers can contribute significantly to successful education within pharmacology, students by participating in the teaching sessions and teachers by encouraging students to find the subject interesting.

Interprofessional peer teaching: The value of a pharmacy student-led pharmacology course for physical therapy students

BackgroundThis report describes the creation, implementation, and evaluation of an interprofessional pharmacy student-led pharmacology course for physical therapy students. The course was designed using a flipped classroom model and a peer-assisted learning framework. Interprofessional education activityWe describe the development, design, assessment, and evaluation of a pharmacy student-led pharmacology course for physical therapy students. This report focuses specifically on the interprofessional aspect of the course, which was measured using the student perceptions of physician-pharmacist interprofessional clinical education (SPICE) instrument. DiscussionThe SPICE instrument was measured across two cohorts in 2015 and 2016. Each cohort consisted of approximately 50 physical therapy students. After implementation of the course, there were significant improvements across all three domains of the SPICE instrument: interprofessional teamwork, roles/responsibilities for collaborative practice, and patient outcomes from collaborative practice (P < .01). Qualitative feedback from the physical therapy students and pharmacy student teaching assistants was positive and emphasized the benefits of interprofessional peer teaching. ImplicationsOverall, this interprofessional peer teaching model effectively improved interprofessional attitudes while accomplishing didactic needs. This innovative course may serve as a model for interprofessional education in different subject areas or across other health professions programs.

Analysis of a novel enrichment strategy for an integrated medicinal chemistry and pharmacology course

IntroductionStudy and application of integrated medicinal chemistry and pharmacology content affords opportunities for students to discuss and develop life-long learning skills. MethodsFive thematic enrichment activities were developed (problem solving, metacognition, reading comprehension, case-based problem solving, and structure-based therapeutic evaluation), each containing a self-study and live session featuring unit-specific content. Voluntary, longitudinal sessions were administered to 139 s professional year pharmacy students at the end of each unit of the first course of an integrated pharmacology and medicinal chemistry sequence (academic quarter system). Students provided five-point Likert-item feedback at the beginning of the course, after the first activity, and at course conclusion. Survey questions were linked to self-assessment domains of metacognition, content relevance, confidence, and affective response to content. ResultsSurvey responses indicated significant improvement in initial confidence (3.7 [1.1] to 4.2 [1.1]) and metacognition (3.2 [1] to 3.8 [1.1]) domains at course conclusion and significant, sustained improvement in affective domain following the first session (3.5 [1.1] to 4.1 [1.2] to 4.2 [1.2]). Perceived relevance of content did not change significantly (4.3 [1] to 4 [1.1] to 4.1 [1.2]). ConclusionsSurvey results were consistent with the notion that targeted learning interventions have a significant impact on content perception, which may be especially important for disciplines perceived by students as challenging. Introduction of learning topics with concurrent application may positively influence affective response to learning, which may beneficially impact latent student confidence and self-awareness.

Learning outcomes of using animated video podcasts as a tool for teaching immunology physiology and pharmacology courses in pharmacy curriculum

Abstract Pharmacy curriculum demands mastery of multiple disciplines such as physiology, immunology and microbiology, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. Professional pharmacy programs in the United States and other countries have adopted the integrated curriculum model to fulfill the learning objectives. Intensive learning and constant revision of study material is necessary for the success in the pharmacy program. With modern digital technologies and high-speed internet, last decade has witnessed a paradigm shift in traditional pedagogy in every discipline we teach and study. Popularity of online education has grown exponentially in recent years. Several reputed Universities globally now offer blended as well as complete online courses. Large student population from every disciplines now embark on largely available digital resources such as educational videos. As a part of preliminary studies we have prepared few videos and identified some of the potential benefits of using video podcasts in pharmacy curriculum as easy accessibility of material, short video podcast helps better engage students and avoid boredom, animations enhance learning process and memorization, students can study at the ease of watching these videos on phone. Our results suggests strong likability of educational videos as a learning tool among students in pharmacy curriculum.

Pioneers in Dermatology and Venereology: an interview with Prof. Louis M.M. Dubertret

Pioneers in Dermatology and Venereology: an interview with Prof. Louis M.M. Dubertret

Assessing the effectiveness of an online dental pharmacology course.

Undergraduate dentistry students in their final year often lack the knowledge and confidence required to prescribe oral health medications. Online courses could help to solve this problem through augmenting traditional teaching methods. This study assessed the effectiveness of a non-curricular, online, clinical case-based dental pharmacology course designed to improve medication management in senior dentistry students. This study developed and implemented an online dental pharmacotherapy course for 287 dentistry students in Mexico. Pre- and post-course tests evaluated knowledge acquisition, and a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 238 participants to evaluate the course's content and educational strategies. Mean knowledge scores significantly increased from pre- (5.5±1.6) to post-test (9.1±1.3, P<0.001). Participants reported a high satisfaction level (70.2%) with the course content and materials, educational techniques, and instructors. These findings support the use of online, clinically based dental pharmacotherapy courses, in conjunction with traditional teaching methods, as a viable strategy for effectively educating dentistry students.

Improving Student Performance in an Inter‐Professional Pharmacology Course: Applying Lessons Learned from Successes in Medical Pharmacology

PurposeWe have made great strides in improving outcomes in Medical Pharmacology at our institution. In addition, we also teach Dental, Master’s, and PhD students in a combined Pharmacology Course, Dental/Fundamental Pharmacology. Each group of students has unique requirements based on their chosen professional field and/or career goals. We evaluated the course, its place in the curriculum of each discipline, student outcomes, and other metrics. Based on ongoing trends, we are implementing several significant changes to the course and its structure.MethodsDental/Fundamental Pharmacology is an ~80 hour course taught during the Spring Semester with an enrollment of ~150 students(~100 Masters, ~5–10 Ph.D., and ~40 D.M.D.). Students take 5 exams that comprise 100% of their grade. Much like Medical Pharmacology, Dental/Fundamental Pharmacology has had excellent student satisfaction from both the dental students and the graduate students in the course over the last several years. However, there has been a trend toward lower National Board of Dental Examiners (NBDE) Board Scores in Pharmacology for the Dental Students.ResultsDental/Fundamental student satisfaction has been very good. Dental students recently scored the course 4.8 out of 5 (12 question evaluation on a 1 – Strongly Disagree to 5 – Strongly Agree scale). Graduate students gave the course a 3.6 out of 4 (1 – Strongly Disagree to 4 – Strongly Agree). This reflects the fact that the content and approach very closely mirror the highly successful Medical Pharmacology Course. The Dental Students take the NBDE Board exam of which there is a significant Pharmacology component. Despite the encouraging student satisfaction, over the last few years Dental student scores on the Pharmacology Section of the NBDE Boards have gone from being above the national average to being significantly below (D‐values dropped from +0.7 to −0.6). There is no overt national comparison assessment of the student’s Pharmacology knowledge in the other programs (PhD and Master’s). However, advancement to candidacy and acceptance rates to Medical/Dental Schools are encouraging.ConclusionsTo combat the undesirable trend in Dental Board scores, we will introduce Dental‐based board review sessions during the course. The structure of the NDBE Board has recently shifted from a two part format to a single exam that is taken in the fourth year. In the new format, the Pharmacology component will be tested in conjunction with the other basic science disciplines. Prior the Pharmacology content was in Part 2 (4th year) while the other basic sciences were in Part 1 (2nd year). The overall Dental Curriculum was restructured to accommodate this change in format. We expect these two changes will have a positive synergy and reverse the undesirable Board trends. In addition, we will deliver customized examinations for the courses. Dental students will receive exams with 10–20% Dental‐emphasis, Clinical questions modeled after those they should expect to encounter on their boards. Master’s and PhD students will receive exams with 10–20% Basic/Clinical/Translational research‐emphasis questions. Targeting the specific needs should help restore Dental outcomes towards desired levels as well as continue the positive outcomes for the Master’s and PhD students.