OVERVIEW
Preamble
Pharmacology is about treating the patients with the required medications, at the right dose, for the right duration and at an appropriate cost. The knowledge of the molecular basis of drug action, the adverse effects caused by the medications, its prevention and treatment and the effects of administering two or more drugs to a patient will be learnt in the context of its clinical application and not just as facts. The emphasis is on clinical relevance of pharmacological knowledge.
Goals
The broad goal of Pharmacology curriculum is to equip the Indian Medical Graduate (IMG) with the knowledge of scientific basis of therapeutics and the skills of rational prescribing during the second year of MBBS.
OBJECTIVES
Knowledge
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
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Describe the pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of essential and commonly used drugs
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Apply the knowledge of indications, contraindications, interactions and adverse reactions of commonly used drugs in therapeutics
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Describe the principles of prescribing and calculate the dosage in special medical situations such as pregnancy, lactation, children, elderly and patients with renal dysfunction
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Apply the concept of rational drug therapy and P drugs in clinical pharmacology
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Describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of common poisonings, insecticides, common sting and bites
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Describe drugs of abuse and the process of de-addiction
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Describe thephases and the regulations involved in the development and introduction of newdrugs
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Explain theconcepts and clinical relevance of Essential medicines, Fixed dosecombinations, Over the counter drugs, Herbal medicines, dietary supplements andnutraceuticals
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Describeoccupational and environmental pesticides, food adulterants, pollutants andinsect repellents
Skills
At the end ofthe course the student should be able to:
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Write a rationalprescription for a given condition and communicate the same to the patient
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Recognize andreport an adverse drug reaction of commonly used medications
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Demonstrate theeffects of drugs on blood pressure through computer aided learning and interpretthe graph
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Perform acritical evaluation of the drug promotional literature
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Administer drugsthrough various routes in a simulated environment
Ethics, Attitude and Communication
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
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Communicateeffectively with the patient with regards storage and use of common medications
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Explain to thepatients the right way to use the various drug formulations
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Communicate theimportance of adherence to medications and motivate the patients
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Demonstrate anunderstanding of the legal and regulatory aspects of prescribing medications.
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Understand andfollow the ethical principles involved in prescribing medications.
