Unit information: Health sciences: Pharmacology in 2019/20

Unit name	Health sciences: Pharmacology
Unit code	ORDS20012
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Teschemacher
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Bristol Dental School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This year 2 Unit is not subdivided into Elements.

Pharmacology:

Describe mechanisms of drug actions in relation to relevant physiology and pathophysiology and discuss their applications to patient management.

The Pharmacology unit is designed to provide you with the scientific basis for treating patients with drugs. The unit stresses the general principles of drug action and interaction, from receptor to body systems levels.

On completing the unit, you should show knowledge of the topics listed below and their relevance to medicine. You will be expected to be able to illustrate pertinent points within each topic by reference to examples of named drugs, and to be able to describe how these drugs work at receptor and systems level.

Topics

• Drug-Receptor Theory
• Autonomic Nervous System Pharmacology
• Neuromuscular Junction Pharmacology
• Cardiovascular System & Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease
• Anticoagulants & Thrombolytics
• Respiratory System & Treatment of Asthma
• Local Anaesthetics
• Central Nervous System & Centrally acting drugs
• Inflammation
• Pharmacokinetics
• Drug interactions

It is important that you understand the principles of pharmacology as you will be expanding on and applying them later in the programme during Human Disease, Oral Biology, Pathology & Microbiology, Primary and Advanced Care Dentistry and Dental Skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should obtain a knowledge and understanding in order to be able to:

• Define the mechanisms by which drugs can exert their effects on biological systems and how these may be quantified.

• Describe and discuss the means by which drugs enter the body, distribute around the body and are eliminated from the body.

• Describe the properties of a wide range of relevant drugs and therapeutic agents and discuss their application to patient management.

• Discuss the effective and safe prevention, diagnosis and management of orofacial pain.

• Discuss and interpret side effects of and interactions between drugs and therapeutic agents and their relevance to patient management.

• Interpret patients’ mental and physical predisposition or vulnerability by the drugs they are regularly taking.

• Describe a range of common health disorders and discuss their relevance to patient management.

• Appraise the health risks of drugs and substance misuse, and substances such as tobacco and alcohol on oral and general health.

Students should acquire the skills and attributes necessary for:

• Understanding the principles of scientific investigation and evidence-based approaches to patient care.
• Experimental design.
• Successful team work.
• Appropriate and effective communication of research results.

This unit contributes to delivery and assessment of the following General Dental Council learning outcomes as specified in Preparing for Practice:

Q1 / Q4 / Q5

1.1: 1.1.1 / 1.1.4 / 1.1.7 / 1.1.9

1.2: 1.2.1 / 1.2.7

1.7: 1.7.2 / 1.7.8

1.8: 1.8.6

1.10: 1.10.7

5: 5.1

10: 10.2

Teaching Information

The unit consists of:

• Lectures (34)
• Seminar (1)
• Small group tutorials (3)
• Computer assisted learning tutorials (3)Laboratory sessions (7)
• Feedback and briefing sessions (3)

Practicals

The aim of the practicals is to reinforce the principles and concepts taught through the lectures and to provide you with an insight into the basis of scientific research and research skills. Practicals also provide ample opportunity to consolidate other transferable and study skills, such as team work, time management, problem solving, e-skills and numeracy skills.

Practicals are run via the eBiolabs system (- see the Pharmacology Laboratory Book for detailed information. Practicals are a compulsory part of the unit:

• You must familiarise yourselves with the aim and protocol of each practical and pass a pre-practical quiz before each practical (available 7 days in advance).
• You are required to complete the relevant section of your Laboratory Book at each practical, participate in a peer marking session, and have the answers signed off by a member of staff before leaving. You take the responsibility for uploading your peer mark into eBiolabs.
• You are required to complete a post-lab assessment on eBiolabs by midnight 6 days after the practical.

Please see the BDS Assessment Handbook for information on how the practical lab sessions are assessed. There are penalties for non or late submission.

Tutorials

These are an essential aid to your understanding and application of Pharmacology and are comprised of two components each:

1. An online tutorial or DSE module with a compulsory quiz which you may complete in your own time within a set period (10 days).

2. This is followed by a timetabled small group session with a Pharmacology tutor.

The principal objectives of the tutorials are:

• To consolidate course content by guided study in your own time
• To gain practice in handling and interpretation of data
• To gain practice in handling exam questions
• To gain a better understanding by integrating course material across a range of practice tasks and questions
• To clarify problems, queries etc. arising from the preceding lectures and practicals
• To provide you with feedback on your progress

Online tutorials & quizzes

The objective is to reinforce and test your understanding of the material covered in the lectures and practicals. You are expected to read material from textbooks in addition to lecture notes/handouts in order to consolidate your understanding. You are required to work through these tutorials and quizzes on QuestionMark independently during the two weeks running up to the small group sessions (see below). The tutorials can be accessed at http://qmp.bris.ac.uk/.

Individual feedback on your submitted work will be available on QuestionMark after your submission. Any queries should be taken to the small group session and discussed with your tutor. Marks for online tutorial scores will count towards your final Pharmacology mark.

Small Group Tutorials

You may be allocated a task in preparation which you must present at the session. Tutors will give feedback and work through a range of practice questions with you. You should bring any questions arising from your online tutorial work with you for discussion. The class will be subdivided into 8 groups of around 10 students each for tutorials. Please see your personal timetables for your tutor and room allocation.

Assessment Information

The summative assessments for this unit are:

• Midsessional exam (predominantly formative, small summative component, 40mins online MCQ and EMQ) - 10%
• Online assessments supporting laboratory practical sessions and Staff-led peer marking of laboratory practical work (predominantly formative, small summative component) - 14%
• Computer-assisted learning tutorials (predominantly formative, small summative component) - 6%
• Final exam (summative, 120mins, online MCQ and EMQ) – 70%

Reading and References

• Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter J M, Henderson G, Flower RJ. Rang & Dale’s pharmacology. 7^th or 8^th ed. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2011. ISBN 9780702045042.
• British National Formulary. British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Regularly updated and published in print and online.
• Neal MJ Medical pharmacology at a glance. 8^th ed. Wiley; 2015. ISBN 9781118902400.
• Pharmacology lab practical related online information (see Blackboard).
• QuestionMark: Online tutorial information.