Switching from a traditional undergraduate programme in (clinical) pharmacology and therapeutics to a problem-based learning programme

David J Brinkman; Teresa Monteiro; Emilia C Monteiro; Milan C Richir; Michiel A van Agtmael; Jelle Tichelaar

doi:10.1007/s00228-020-03027-3

Switching from a traditional undergraduate programme in (clinical) pharmacology and therapeutics to a problem-based learning programme

David J Brinkman
, Teresa Monteiro
, Emilia C Monteiro
, Milan C Richir
, Michiel A van Agtmael
, Jelle Tichelaar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

PURPOSE: The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education during the undergraduate medical curriculum of NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal, was changed from a traditional programme (i.e. discipline-based, lectures) to a problem-based learning (PBL) programme (i.e. integrated, case-based discussions) without an increase in teaching hours. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this change improved the prescribing competencies of final-year medical students.

METHODS: Final-year students from both programmes (2015 and 2019) were invited to complete a validated prescribing assessment and questionnaire. The assessment comprised 24 multiple-choice questions in three subdomains (working mechanism, side-effects and interactions/contraindications), and five clinical case scenarios of common diseases. The questionnaire focused on self-reported prescribing confidence, preparedness for future prescribing task and education received.

RESULTS: In total, 36 (22%) final-year medical students from the traditional programme and 54 (23%) from the PBL programme participated. Overall, students in the PBL programme had significantly higher knowledge scores than students in the traditional programme (76% (SD 9) vs 67% (SD 15); p = 0.002). Additionally, students in the PBL programme made significantly fewer inappropriate therapy choices (p = 0.023) and fewer erroneous prescriptions than did students in the traditional programme (p = 0.27). Students in the PBL programme felt more confident in prescribing, felt better prepared for prescribing as junior doctor and completed more drug prescriptions during their medical training.

CONCLUSION: Changing from a traditional programme to an integrated PBL programme in pharmacology and CPT during the undergraduate medical curriculum may improve the prescribing competencies of final-year students.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	421-429
Number of pages	9
Journal	European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
Volume	77
Issue number	3
Early online date	23 Oct 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-020-03027-3
Publication status	Published - Mar 2021
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Clinical pharmacology
Medical curriculum
Prescribing
Students
Therapeutics
Undergraduate

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Brinkman2021_Article_SwitchingFromATraditionalUnderFinal published version, 304 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Switching from a traditional undergraduate programme in (clinical) pharmacology and therapeutics to a problem-based learning programme",

abstract = "PURPOSE: The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education during the undergraduate medical curriculum of NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal, was changed from a traditional programme (i.e. discipline-based, lectures) to a problem-based learning (PBL) programme (i.e. integrated, case-based discussions) without an increase in teaching hours. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this change improved the prescribing competencies of final-year medical students.METHODS: Final-year students from both programmes (2015 and 2019) were invited to complete a validated prescribing assessment and questionnaire. The assessment comprised 24 multiple-choice questions in three subdomains (working mechanism, side-effects and interactions/contraindications), and five clinical case scenarios of common diseases. The questionnaire focused on self-reported prescribing confidence, preparedness for future prescribing task and education received.RESULTS: In total, 36 (22\%) final-year medical students from the traditional programme and 54 (23\%) from the PBL programme participated. Overall, students in the PBL programme had significantly higher knowledge scores than students in the traditional programme (76\% (SD 9) vs 67\% (SD 15); p = 0.002). Additionally, students in the PBL programme made significantly fewer inappropriate therapy choices (p = 0.023) and fewer erroneous prescriptions than did students in the traditional programme (p = 0.27). Students in the PBL programme felt more confident in prescribing, felt better prepared for prescribing as junior doctor and completed more drug prescriptions during their medical training.CONCLUSION: Changing from a traditional programme to an integrated PBL programme in pharmacology and CPT during the undergraduate medical curriculum may improve the prescribing competencies of final-year students.",

keywords = "Clinical pharmacology, Medical curriculum, Prescribing, Students, Therapeutics, Undergraduate",

author = "Brinkman, \{David J\} and Teresa Monteiro and Monteiro, \{Emilia C\} and Richir, \{Milan C\} and \{van Agtmael\}, \{Michiel A\} and Jelle Tichelaar",

note = "Funding Information: This research received funding from the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT). Acknowledgements Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved. Funding Information: This research received funding from the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT). Acknowledgements Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Author(s).",

year = "2021",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1007/s00228-020-03027-3",

language = "English",

volume = "77",

pages = "421--429",

journal = "European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology",

issn = "0031-6970",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Switching from a traditional undergraduate programme in (clinical) pharmacology and therapeutics to a problem-based learning programme

AU - Brinkman, David J

AU - Monteiro, Teresa

AU - Monteiro, Emilia C

AU - Richir, Milan C

AU - van Agtmael, Michiel A

AU - Tichelaar, Jelle

N1 - Funding Information: This research received funding from the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT). Acknowledgements Publisher Copyright: © 2020, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved. Funding Information: This research received funding from the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT). Acknowledgements Publisher Copyright: © 2020, The Author(s).

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - PURPOSE: The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education during the undergraduate medical curriculum of NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal, was changed from a traditional programme (i.e. discipline-based, lectures) to a problem-based learning (PBL) programme (i.e. integrated, case-based discussions) without an increase in teaching hours. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this change improved the prescribing competencies of final-year medical students.METHODS: Final-year students from both programmes (2015 and 2019) were invited to complete a validated prescribing assessment and questionnaire. The assessment comprised 24 multiple-choice questions in three subdomains (working mechanism, side-effects and interactions/contraindications), and five clinical case scenarios of common diseases. The questionnaire focused on self-reported prescribing confidence, preparedness for future prescribing task and education received.RESULTS: In total, 36 (22%) final-year medical students from the traditional programme and 54 (23%) from the PBL programme participated. Overall, students in the PBL programme had significantly higher knowledge scores than students in the traditional programme (76% (SD 9) vs 67% (SD 15); p = 0.002). Additionally, students in the PBL programme made significantly fewer inappropriate therapy choices (p = 0.023) and fewer erroneous prescriptions than did students in the traditional programme (p = 0.27). Students in the PBL programme felt more confident in prescribing, felt better prepared for prescribing as junior doctor and completed more drug prescriptions during their medical training.CONCLUSION: Changing from a traditional programme to an integrated PBL programme in pharmacology and CPT during the undergraduate medical curriculum may improve the prescribing competencies of final-year students.

AB - PURPOSE: The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education during the undergraduate medical curriculum of NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal, was changed from a traditional programme (i.e. discipline-based, lectures) to a problem-based learning (PBL) programme (i.e. integrated, case-based discussions) without an increase in teaching hours. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this change improved the prescribing competencies of final-year medical students.METHODS: Final-year students from both programmes (2015 and 2019) were invited to complete a validated prescribing assessment and questionnaire. The assessment comprised 24 multiple-choice questions in three subdomains (working mechanism, side-effects and interactions/contraindications), and five clinical case scenarios of common diseases. The questionnaire focused on self-reported prescribing confidence, preparedness for future prescribing task and education received.RESULTS: In total, 36 (22%) final-year medical students from the traditional programme and 54 (23%) from the PBL programme participated. Overall, students in the PBL programme had significantly higher knowledge scores than students in the traditional programme (76% (SD 9) vs 67% (SD 15); p = 0.002). Additionally, students in the PBL programme made significantly fewer inappropriate therapy choices (p = 0.023) and fewer erroneous prescriptions than did students in the traditional programme (p = 0.27). Students in the PBL programme felt more confident in prescribing, felt better prepared for prescribing as junior doctor and completed more drug prescriptions during their medical training.CONCLUSION: Changing from a traditional programme to an integrated PBL programme in pharmacology and CPT during the undergraduate medical curriculum may improve the prescribing competencies of final-year students.

KW - Clinical pharmacology

KW - Medical curriculum

KW - Prescribing

KW - Students

KW - Therapeutics

KW - Undergraduate

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85093937267

U2 - 10.1007/s00228-020-03027-3

DO - 10.1007/s00228-020-03027-3

M3 - Article

C2 - 33098019

SN - 0031-6970

VL - 77

SP - 421

EP - 429

JO - European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

JF - European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

IS - 3

ER -

Switching from a traditional undergraduate programme in (clinical) pharmacology and therapeutics to a problem-based learning programme

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