Course: Fundamentals in Pharmacology, PHPY N5021
Department: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology
Description: This course provides information on the principles of pharmacology using a scientific and evidenced based approach. The fundamental concepts of dose-response relationships, pharmacokinetic models, drug-receptor interaction, absorption, distribution, biotransformation and elimination are covered and will provide the students with the necessary background for understanding how drugs affect living tissues. In addition, this course will enable students to critically evaluate new developments in the field as well as be able to discuss controversies using the principles to determine the risk versus benefit ratio for the administration of drugs. The course focuses upon the principles of pharmacology and not on specific pharmacotherapeutics, although a number of drugs are used to illustrate the principles. This course will be taught using web-enhanced instruction.
Prerequisites: No internal prerequisites
Credit: 3 semester credit hours
Course Schedule: Tuesdays 6-9 PM, Room MSB B-556
Instructor: Barbara H. Gladson PhD PT
Course Goal
The general goal for this course is to describe the basic principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and begin to apply these principles to dosing in normal individuals and in special populations. Students will also try to resolve controversies in drug treatment by the application of these principles.
Objectives:
- Apply knowledge of human physiology, biochemistry and anatomy to explain dose-response relationships and the time course of drug concentrations.
- Explain the mechanism of action, adverse drug reactions, and organ effects of some major drug categories used to treat illnesses within the framework of the principles presented in the course.
- Apply the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to the development of solutions to dosing issues.
- Interpret laboratory values and specific test results to help identify patient illness as a result of pharmacotherapeutics.
- Recognize drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-exercise interactions and explain how these may have been predicted based on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
- Identify perspectives on the pharmacotherapeutic effects on wellness, impairment, disease disability, and health risks related to age, gender, culture, and lifestyle.
- Highlight specific categories of drugs that may produce adverse reactions at different stages across the lifespan.
- Explain the concept of risk versus benefit in pharmacotherapeutics and apply this to some real case scenarios.
- Understand the basic concepts of Toxicology.
Method of Instruction
This course is a web-enhanced class experience consisting of lecture, readings, discussion activities posted on WebCt, links to informational cites on the internet, lecture handouts, and some individual assignments. The PowerPoint lecture handouts are available from the homepage and will assist the student in extracting the most pertinent information from the readings.
**For students unfamiliar with web-based courses, an introduction to the methods and expectations for these courses may be helpful. The mode of instruction in web-based courses is directed study. Directed study is an active learning method that emphasizes what the learner does, as opposed to traditional classroom learning that emphasizes what information the teacher passes along to the students. In web-based courses, you learn and apply the content by completing structured assignments and activities. The instructor's role is to (1) design the assignments and activities to ensure active learning, (2) provide guidance and feedback to help the student successfully complete the assignments, and (3) promote collaboration among the students by participating in discussions.
The web-enhanced version requires an application of the lecture material by researching and answering some case scenarios and participating in written discussions with your peers on the web while using the literature to provide evidence for your views.
Discussion Activities
Students are required to contribute to discussion activities (also referred to as postings) for some of the topics covered in lecture. The activities will be completed as a group project. You will be assigned to work in a task group. These will be labeled as Task Group One, Task Group Two, Task Group Three, etc. You will receive your group assignment during the first class. Only the instructor and your own group members will have access to your assigned task group. The task group is the working e-space for you to work through the discussion activity. You are expected to respond to a discussion several times during the week so that a dialogue ensues between group members. You may change an answer or add to a revelation made by another student. The group will need to compile one final answer to each discussion activity for the entire class to read. In similar courses one member was chosen from each group to be the scribe and compile the final answer by the end of the class work week. This final answer will be posted under the general discussion activity section for your group. The entire class will have access to the final answers for reviewing. I encourage you to read the discussions produced by other groups since the activities are relevant to your learning. The discussion activities will vary in terms of level of difficulty, but by the end of the semester each group will have completed equal numbers of easy and more difficult tasks.
During the first week of class, group members are encouraged to get to know each other. Please let your group know where you work and your areas of expertise. Also decide who will be the scribe for each of the group postings and exchange telephone numbers. Sometimes communication in real time may be necessary. A chat room is also available for you to work in with access from the homepage.
Students are expected to use other sources when answering the activities. There is a recommended textbook --- It is up to you if you want to purchase it. You will be expected to consult with primary sources of information, e.g. peer-reviewed articles. Some reputable websites will be accepted but do not use Wikipedia. In the past, the depth and breath of the discussions have come from the literature. For some of the activities the student is asked to read specific articles. These may all be obtained through our library online resources (full-text journals). Please cite your references using AMA format. Please be careful---plagiarism is not allowed unless properly cited in quotations. Any misrepresentation of work will result in a zero for that discussion.
If you are going to be away for any period during this class, please notify the instructor and your group members. Every effort will be made to give you an alternate independent assignment so that you do not loose a chance to earn discussion points.
Discussion Grading
You will be graded on the depth and quality of your discussion contributions. Reiterating what has already been said is not acceptable. The Discussion Activities will be worth a total of 36 points (7 discussion activities on the web plus a midterm and final peer grading) using the following grading criteria.
Student participation in the online discussions will be graded by the instructor using the following criteria. Each criteria is worth one point.
1. Student has posted at least three times during the Unit.
2. The information contributed is correct and supported by the evidence with references cited.
3. Statements and ideas build on the comments by others.
4. The information contributed is relevant to the discussion
Therefore each discussion is worth a total of 4 points.
Final Paper
You will be asked to write a paper incorporating some of the principles taught in this course. See “Instructions for final paper” and the “Grading Criteria” on the course homepage. The paper will be worth 50 points. You will have the opportunity to present you paper to the class at the end of the semester.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend every class. Missing class without a valid excuse will result in a loss of points. Please notify the instructor by course email of any emergent situations.
Evaluation
Points will be earned by completing the discussions, midterm exam, and final paper. The final grade for the semester will be based on a percentage of the total number of points earned out of 136.
A = 90 – 100
B+ = 85 –89
B = 80 – 84
C+ = 75 – 79
C = 70 – 74
D = 60 - 69
F < 60
Professional Behavior
At UMDNJ. all students are expected to observe and support high standards of honesty, integrity and professional conduct in all aspects of education and research. Behaviors that demonstrate excellence include arriving on-time for class, respecting the opinions of classmates and professors, appropriately referencing work produced by another person, following through on commitments and using positive verbal and non-verbal communication. While it is occasionally appropriate to challenge a grade assignment, students are expected to conduct themselves in a reasonable manner and recognize that the professor has the authority to raise a grade as well as to lower a grade following further evaluation. Please refer to the GSBS student handbook on academic integrity http://www.umdnj.edu/gsbsnweb/ac_integ.htm.
Required Reading:
Walsh CT, Schwartz-Bloom RD. Levine’s Pharmacology Drug Actions and Reactions. 7th edition. Boca Raton, Fl:Taylor & Francis; 2005.
E-mail: orders@crcpress.com
Computer Requirements
For hardware and software requirements see the following URL:
www.umdnj.edu/idsweb/documents/hardware_software.htm
Technical Support
For information on technical support link to www.umdnj.edu/idsweb/documents/technical_support.htm |
