Clinical pharmacology education in primary care residency programs: Education Committee, American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

[A new curriculum to strengthen pharmacology and clinical pharmacology training in fundamental nursing education]

Among medical care incidents in Japan, an increase in medicine-related errors by nurses have been reported. These errors may be caused by a lack of knowledge of clinical pharmacology and drug interactions. It is important for nurses to acquire risk-management skills based on clinical pharmacology. In order to improve fundamental knowledge in pharmacology and clinical pharmacology for nurses, various training programs exist. We reviewed a number of educational programs in medicine and report our results. Based on our results, it is necessary for medical education programs to include the following 5 essential elements: 1) An analysis of frequently-occurring medication errors in the field of clinical pharmacology, 2) drugs administer for patient characteristic and patient observation practices, 3) an emphasis on the interactions between drugs and food or other drugs, 4) assessment of patient symptoms, risk-management, and the efficacy of drugs, 5) the necessity of using the package inserts. In a new curriculum, it is necessary to have systematic, step by step training in pharmacology and clinical pharmacology. It is also necessary to develop these teaching methods in cooperation with specialists and experts in the field.

American Board of Clinical Pharmacology fellowship training and certification in clinical pharmacology: educational value and future needs for the discipline

Currently, the training and education of young clinical pharmacologist who represent the future of our discipline rest almost entirely on institutions/organizations with established and productive fellowship training programs. Here, we discuss the role of the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology (ABCP) in accrediting fellowship training programs and certifying individual clinical pharmacologists. We also explore how ABCP certification adds value to both individual trainees and the discipline in the evolving world of clinical therapeutics and research in human pharmacology.

Study design and rationale of a mock phase I trial as an educational tool for clinical pharmacology residents

OBJECTIVE

To invite comments and suggestions from the phase I trialists, the world over, on the design and rationale provided by us for conducting a mock phase I trial for training clinical pharmacology residents.

METHODS

The trial will be conducted by clinical pharmacology residents of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research. After a thorough evaluation of Preclinical toxicity data of a pharmaceutical product provided by a dummy pharmaceutical firm, a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group design with dose escalation of the product will be carried out. A single dose administration will be followed by monitoring the participants for 24 h and again at one week. After obtaining results of the previous group, the next higher dose will be administered. Evaluation of the learners will be done by two independent teachers who will mark them for actual conduct of the study and writing a report of the study. Subsequently, we will try to publish the results of the mock trial and invite further comments.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial designed primarily for training purposes will be instrumental in equipping the residents with the expertise for conducting phase I trials.

Testing the practical aspects of therapeutics by objective structured clinical examination

Medical students need to have a sound theoretical knowledge of pharmacology and a training in the practical aspects of therapeutics in order to prescribe effectively, safely and rationally when they qualify. Students have traditionally sat written exams and the practical aspects have been largely ignored. At the University of Birmingham we set up an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) style examination to test the practical aspects of therapeutics. Over the last 2 years, 434 students have been examined in this way to determine competency in various clinical skills including, for example prescription writing, the drawing up and giving of injections, setting up nebulizers, and patient counselling about drug effects. Over that time we found the therapeutics OSCE to be feasible and useful. It has demonstrated serious practical deficiencies that were not apparent from written examinations in some students' ability to prescribe and administer drugs. Since its introduction, performance in the OSCE has improved. Whether this will result in safer and more effective prescribing in the preregistration house officer year has not been formally evaluated but it appears that they approach this aspect of patient care with greater confidence than graduates from other schools.