January 30, 2023-February 10, 2023
10 half days
Course Director
Jonathan Beckel, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
jmbeckel@pitt.edu
Course Director
Michael Lynch, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Medical Toxicology
lyncmj@upmc.edu
Course Description
This two-week course will provide the foundation for understanding therapeutic approaches to treating disease. Basic pharmacology principles will be presented to illustrate strategies to utilitze drugs to restore cellular function.
Course Goals:
- Encourage students early in their medical school career to integrate basic science and clinical knowledge.
- Introduce students to basic principles of pharmacology with a focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of drug action.
- Articulate the principles of drug action and administration that govern rational selection, usage, efficacy, and safety.
- Illustrate clinical relevance of specific drugs and drug classes described in the course through level appropriate clinical case presentations in large and small group formats.
Educational Methods
- Self-directed VpSim web-based learning modules
- Pharmacology workshops (in class and small group)
- Lectures
- Case studies
Evaluation
Evaluation for this course is based on performance on one exam and participation in three small group session.
Grading: This course comprises of 20% of the grade for the Foundations of Medicine Block, Section 3. Grading for the block is Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory