Perception of second professional undergraduate medical students and teachers about pharmacy practical classes in pharmacology curriculum

Authors

  • Anindya Karmakar Department of Pharmacology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India
  • Ananya Mandal Department of Pharmacology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India
  • Sonai Mandal Department of Pharmacology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India
  • Tanmoy Gangopadhyay Department of Pharmacology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India
  • Syed Mohammad Naser Department of Pharmacology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20194110

Keywords:

Pharmacy practical, Curriculum, Medical education

Abstract

Background: The practice and teaching in the MBBS curriculum has changed over the last few decades and most of it caters to the making of the Indian Medical Graduate (IMG) and the first contact physician of the community. The most notable change in pharmacy in modern times has been the virtual disappearance of the preparation and compounding of medicines. Pharmacy practical classes still form a part of the MCI curriculum in Pharmacology undergraduate teaching in many states of India including West Bengal. This study was undertaken to assess the attitude of students as well as teachers towards continuation of these practical classes in the curriculum and possible alternatives.

Methods: Second year pharmacology students were included in the study (n=143). Along with this 10 faculty members were provided a structured and pre-tested questionnaire to be answered anonymously.

Results: It was seen that 89 percent students and 100 percent faculty members wanted these practical classes to be discontinued. The most popular alternative to these classes were ADR reporting from the faculty members (90%) and demonstration of clinical effects of drugs and dosage calculation (86%) among the students.

Conclusions: Given the lessening importance and relevance of the pharmacy practical classes in today’s day to day practice, a change in curriculum and examination system in Pharmacology must be considered.

References

Bhavsar VH, Vajpayee SK, Joshi NJ, Mistry SD, Kantharia ND, Sharma AK, et al. training during practical pharmacology sessions for undergraduate medical students: An experience with a modified teaching programme. Indian J Pharmacol. 1999;31:176–86.

Hariharan TS. Need for changes in the practical pharmacology curriculum of medical undergraduates. Indian J Pharmacol. 2004;36:181.

Medical Council of India. Regulations on Graduate Medical Education. New Delhi: 1997.

Recommendations of the workshop on Pharmacology Practical Scheme for MBBS course Ind J Pharmacol. 1999:31:380-2.

Gitanjali B, Shashindran CH. Curriculum in clinical pharmacology for medical undergraduates of India. Indian J Pharmacol. 2006;38:108–14.

Desai M. Changing face of pharmacology practicals for medical graduates Indian J Pharmacol. 2009;41:151-2.

Competency based undergraduate curriculum for the Indian medical graduate. Available at: https://www. mciindia.org/CMS/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/UG-Curriculum-Vol-I.pdf. Accessed on 10th May 2019.

Bera T, Patil P, Mane A. Assessment of Perception of Undergraduate Medical Students & Teachers about Pharmacy Practical Classes in Pharmacology. Natl J Integr Res Med. 2013;4:39-42.

Kaushal S, Chopra SC, Arora S. Modifications in the undergraduate MBBS pharmacology practical curriculum: The DMCH model. Indian J Pharmacol 2007;39:57-9.

Gitanjali B. Animal experimentation in teaching: Time to sing a swan song. Indian J Pharmacol 2001;33:71.

Competency based undergraduate curriculum. Available at: https://www.mciindia.org/CMS/ information-desk/for-colleges/ug-curriculum. Accessed on 10th May 2019.

Downloads

Published

2019-08-28

How to Cite

Karmakar, A., Mandal, A., Mandal, S., Gangopadhyay, T., & Naser, S. M. (2019). Perception of second professional undergraduate medical students and teachers about pharmacy practical classes in pharmacology curriculum. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 8(9), 2024–2028. https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20194110

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles