SFAKB0031U Pharmacotherapy

Volume 2013/2014
Education
MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences - compulsory, MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences - elective, MSc in Medicinal Chemistry - elective, Cand.Scient.Pharm. - compulsory, Cand.Pharm. - compulsory
Content
The course is based on lectures as well as classroom discussions. Teaching will be based in part on ‘medical histories’ after a series of introductory lectures that review disease terminology (definitions, aetiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical signs and treatment strategy), patients’ medical history (patients’ description, examinations, laboratory values, diagnoses and treatments) and how the course will be conducted. The medical histories will be worked through as problem-oriented teaching with students working independently to solve medical history problems (that is, investigating a patient’s medical history and proposing treatment). The course will include a review of approximately nine ‘medical histories’. Each case will be preceded by a double lecture in which the theoretical aspects of the medical history of the case are reviewed. Thereafter students will work independently on each case for about a week, after which the case will be concluded by a double period of classroom discussion in which the medical history, particularly the treatment, will be discussed with the participation of a clinician and an internal teacher. The course will review diseases in the following areas: lung diseases (asthma and allergy), kidney diseases, cardiac-circulatory diseases, stomach-intestinal diseases, liver diseases, pain treatment, arthritic diseases, neurological diseases, psychiatric diseases, endocrinological diseases and infectious diseases. Teaching will also include lectures on broader topics such as drug choice (drug properties, drug formulations, patient profile and treatment evaluation), as well as patient information (prevention and treatment follow-up). Special topics dealing with drug treatment will also be covered, including OTC drugs.
Learning Outcome

Formål / Objective

To give students insight into clinical disease states and knowledge of the most important types of disease and their underlying pathophysiology, and to provide insight into the principles of diagnostics and prognosis. Furthermore to provide students with solid knowledge of the principles underlying rational, evidence-based pharmacotherapy, including the benefits and risks of treatment with various drug groups.

Målbeskrivelse / Course outcome

At the end of the course, students are expected:
  1. To be familiar with the most common and important types of disease and their pathophysiology
  2. To be able to propose an optimal course of drug treatment on the basis of a patient’s disease, clinical condition and paraclinical data
  3. To be able to gather systematically the necessary information about drugs and treatment options - via national treatment guidelines, the Cochran Library, and national and international databases on adverse effects and interactions – in order to evaluate optimal and rational pharmacotherapy
  4. To be able to advise doctors, nurses and patients in a knowledgeable manner
  5. To be able to present a patient’s course of illness and treatment to colleagues.
Literature
  • Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Ed. Roger Walker and Whittlesea. Churchill Livingstone, latest edition.
  • Selected publications from the Department of Rational Pharmacotherapy (www.irf.dk) and NIH (www.nice.org.uk).
Course teaching is based on the assumption that students have knowledge corresponding to the content of the courses ‘General and Organ-related Pharmacology’, and ‘Drug Formulation’ including laboratory exercises.
•36 lectures á 45 min
•18 periods of classroom discussions á 45 min. (double)
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 18
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Lectures
  • 36
  • Preparation
  • 150
  • Total
  • 207
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 timer under invigilation
Prøveform / Examination type:
3 hour written examination.

Prøvedesign / Examination design
The examination consists of four cases (medical histories) with a description of the problem to be solved. Of these four cases, students must select three to solve. Each problem is divided into five questions to be answered in accordance with defined behavioural terms (Study Board, 13 October 1988). The weight of each question (number of points) is indicated in the examination

Særlige forhold / Special conditions:
Out of four medical histories presented, each student selects three to solve.
Aid
Without aids
None, not even pocket calculators
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Re-exam
Please note that the date for re-examination (resit) as well as the registration period for participation in the resit are not in accordance with the general curriculum provisions. The exact date and registration period can be found in the exam timetable.
Criteria for exam assesment

Beskrivelse af prøven og bedømmelse / Description of examination and assessment criteria

.

Beståkrav / Pass criteria

The requirement for a pass is a correct answer to half of the questions asked and thus half of the maximum possible points. However, the overall impression will also be considered, which can raise or lower the final assessment. Raising or lowering the assessment on the basis of the overall impression will be influenced by:
  • Answers that demonstrate a convincing combination of knowledge, pathophysiological and pharmacological, and confident knowledge of the mode of action of drugs
  • An even distribution of points for the various questions rather than uneven distribution and wide fluctuations.

Karakterbeskrivelse / Description of grades

12 – Excellent performance
A well-structured response formulated clearly and precisely. The student demonstrates a commanding overview of the problem and incorporates all of the relevant specialist elements in his or her position on the medical history presented. With very few and minor exceptions, the student demonstrates mastery of key disease concepts and their pathophysiology and makes a confident proposal for treatment or change in existing drug treatment on this basis. The student demonstrates solid knowledge of the mode of action of drugs, their adverse effects and most important interactions.


7 – Good performance
A coherent response formulated reasonably clearly and precisely. The student demonstrates an overview of the problem and incorporates the most important relevant specialist elements in his or her position on the medical history presented. With some exceptions, the student demonstrates mastery of key disease concepts and their pathophysiology and makes a sensible proposal for treatment or change in existing drug treatment on that basis. The student demonstrates reasonably good knowledge of the mode of action of drugs, their adverse effects and most important interactions.


02 – Acceptable performance
A somewhat coherent response that is rather unclear and imprecise in formulation. The student demonstrates less overview of the problem and is to a limited extent able to incorporate the relevant specialist elements in his or her position on the medical history presented. The student can only to a limited but still acceptable extent, with many weaknesses, demonstrate mastery of key disease concepts and their pathophysiology and treatment. The student demonstrates a limited but just barely acceptable knowledge of the mode of action of drugs, their adverse effects and most important interactions.