Teaching P-drug Selection: Experiences from a Medical School in India

Background: Incorporation of Personal drug (P-drug) selection exercise into medical undergraduate curriculum was recommended to reduce irrational prescribing during future practice. At Melaka Manipal Medical College (MMMC), India, P-drug selection exercise was included in pharmacology curriculum in 2010 for 2nd year MBBS students. Objective: The study was conducted to develop a module to teach P-drug selection and to investigate students’ perceptions regarding P-drug selection teaching and assessment. Materials and method: Module was developed to teach P-drug selection for an acute attack of angina and dry cough based on a manual called as ‘Guide to Good Prescribing’ developed by the WHO Action Program on Essential Drugs. Power point slides, handouts with drug costs and current guidelines were used during teaching learning activities. Later students were assessed on P-drug selection by asking them to derive a P-drug for an acute attack of angina. Students’ answers were assessed using a checklist. Later students’ perceptions regarding P-drug selection teaching and assessment were collected using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16. Students’ responses were expressed as median and inter quartile range. Responses to open ended questions were tabulated in the decreasing order of frequency of appearance. % of students who scored ≥4 (= pass) marks was noted. Result: 90% (95/106) of students responded in the questionnaire. Most of the items in the questionnaire related to teaching and assessment had a median score of ≥3. 94.3% of students had scored ≥4 in P-drug selection exercise. 84% of students felt that P-drug selection teaching helped them to understand pharmacology better. They wanted more such exercises and more explanation to understand P-drug concept better. Conclusion: Study led to development of P-drug selection teaching module acceptable to students. Furthermore it also provided scope for the refinement of newly developed module based on students’ perceptions.

Keywords: Medical, P-drug, Perceptions, Pharmacology, Questionnaire, Student, Teaching, Undergraduate

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