COURSE OFFERED
The department offers 1-year undergraduate course in Pharmacology following Second Professional MBBS Examination as recommended by the Bangladesh Medical & Dental Council, which prepares students for 2nd Professional MBBS Examination of the University of Dhaka.
DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES:
The Department of Pharmacology aims to provide an integrated, need-based course on Basic Pharmacology for Safe and Effective Prescribing, ensuring that graduates are competent to:
- Describe pharmacological effects, mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and adverse reactions of drugs to enable safe and effective prescribing.
- Apply principles of rational prescribing, considering efficacy, safety, suitability, and cost-effectiveness in clinical practice.
- Evaluate and compare therapeutic alternatives based on rational prescribing principles.
- Recognize, manage, and report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and drug interactions to ensure patient safety.
- Obtain informed consent by providing patients with adequate information about diseases, treatments, and alternative options.
- Identify and assess reliable drug information sources to support evidence-based prescribing.
- Understand and apply the concept of Essential Drugs in community-oriented healthcare services.
- Identify and mitigate the risks of polypharmacy and irrational prescribing, resisting external influences that compromise rational drug use.
- Evaluate the ethical and legal considerations involved in drug prescribing, development, manufacture, and marketing.
- Develop critical skills for appraising new drugs and clinical trial data to stay updated with advancements in pharmacology.
- Foster a lifelong commitment to continuous self-learning and professional development.
COMPETENCIES TO ACQUIRE
A) Knowledge and Understanding
Graduates will acquire foundational knowledge in:
- Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics necessary for safe and effective prescribing.
- Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs): Recognition, management, and reporting.
- Principles of rational prescribing and drug selection based on safety, efficacy, suitability, and cost.
- Essential Drugs Concept: Selection and application of an Essential Drug List in clinical practice.
- Drug information sources: Accessing unbiased drug compendia, treatment guidelines, and formularies.
- Ethical aspects of prescribing, including informed consent and patient autonomy.
- Legal and regulatory frameworks governing drug prescribing, development, and marketing.
B) Skills
Students will develop essential skills in:
- Taking a comprehensive drug history.
- Writing accurate prescriptions, ensuring appropriate drug selection, dosage, and formulation.
- Selecting P-Drugs (Personal Drugs) based on rational prescribing principles.
- Recognizing, managing, and reporting ADRs and drug interactions.
- Critically appraising drug related information to support evidence-based prescribing.
- Prescribing drugs for special populations, including the elderly, children, pregnant and lactating women, and those with renal or hepatic impairment.
- Obtaining informed consent from patients before initiating treatment.
- Analyzing new research and clinical trial data to integrate evidence-based medicine into practice.
C) Attitude
Graduates will cultivate a professional attitude characterized by:
- Commitment to lifelong learning through continuous professional development.
- Effective communication with patients, ensuring informed decision-making and respecting patient preferences.
- Ethical and responsible prescribing to optimize patient safety and therapeutic outcomes.
This structured approach ensures that graduates are well-equipped to practice safe, rational, and ethical pharmacology in clinical settings.