Comprehensive faculty development programmes-empowered faculty excel in creating vibrant pharmacology education.

Dr. Ragini Vaishnav Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy

College of Medicine & Health Sciences Sultan Qaboos University

P O Box 35, Al Khod 123, Sultanate of Oman

Introduction Introduction 7-year MD programme,7-year MD programme, (4 years preclinical, 3 years clinical) (4 years preclinical, 3 years clinical) Semester calenderSemester calender 15 weeks-full semester, 15 weeks-full semester,

8 weeks-summer semester8 weeks-summer semester Credit systemCredit system Based on student-teacher contact time, Based on student-teacher contact time,

course loadcourse load Teaching leans towards PBL- Teaching leans towards PBL-

use hybrid PBL modelsuse hybrid PBL models Intensive English taught in 1Intensive English taught in 1stst year year

Introduction and purpose

Need to “educate” medical faculty ? SQU College of Medicine offers: Certificate in Health Professions

Education Train the Trainer Assessment Workshop Intoductory Instructional Skills

Development Programme E-learning and WebCT Workshop Ideal Assessment Databank Workshop

Methodology

Certificate in health professions education

3 day programme focussing on: Principles of learning and teaching Planning a curriculum- a systematic

approach Skills in facilitating student learning-

different settings Student assessment , course and teacher

evaluation

Certificate in health professions education

Teaching / learning in clinical settingsWith patients, skills

Small group teachingFish bowl activity-

a PBL tutorial

Lecturing skillsPreparing and deliveringAudio-visual aids

Microteaching Group activity

Course designLearning objectives for given competency

Adult learning principlesImplications for teaching

Highlights

Student assessment and evaluation

Choosing assessment instruments-Validity, reliability, impact on learning, feasibility

Assessment of knowledge, competence

Standard setting in medical

examinations

Oral examinations

A-type MCQs and writing guidelines

Norm referenced, criterion-referenced

EMIs, MEQs, SAQs,reports, projects

OSCE, OSPEspot, practicals

Course and teacher evaluation- a reflective continuum

Evaluation by

studentsEvolution-curriculum,

effective teaching/assessment

Evaluation by peers

Evaluation by external experts

Pharmacology teaching in the MD programme

General Pharmacology

2nd year

Pharmacology Course 4th year

Therapeutics course6th year

System-based integrated courses

3rd / 4th year

Integrated lecture series programme

5th year

Innovative approaches in teaching pharmacology

System-based integrated approach

Use of CAL programmes

Integrated seminars

Student–centered case-based discussions

WebCT and e-learning

Innovative approaches in teaching 4th year Pharmacology

Student-centered case-baseddiscussions

Online exams on WebCT

use of e-learning

Course Content (Pharmacology)taught in 4th year

Antimicrobial chemotherapy

ImmunopharmacologyCancer chemotherapy

ADRs Drug interactions

Toxicology

Case-based discussions…. positive experience

AssessedTutor facilitated

Relate theory to practiceReinforce basic pharmacology

Student centeredSmall group

Learning through case-based discussions

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Useful Not useful

No

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E-learning

Online assessment

Online student

discussion

Lecture notes, PPT, resources

Information dissemination

Online teaching / learning

tool

WebCT

Assessment Modalities

Online incourse assessments using WebCT

(using A-type MCQ’s, vignettes, extended matching)

Use of ITEMAN for exam analysis. Feedback to students. Assessment of case-based presentations End-course assessment Viva for borderline students

Students’ opinions on the best way to learn pharmacology

1 1 2

6

9

15

16 17

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Online

Lectures/Online

Lectures only

SelfStudy

Case Studies

Group discussions

Lectures/Case studies/Online

Lectures/case studies

Conclusion

With our innovative approach we are moving towards the following more balanced and modern goals in pharmacology teaching and learning:

more clinically relevant core informationlimiting extreme details that may be irrelevant to a ‘Doctor’drug-patient disease oriented conceptsimproved overall student performancestudent autonomy in learning