MEDSCI 204 : Pharmacology and Toxicology
Medical and Health Sciences
2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the nature and classification of types of drug targets; receptor-ligand relationships and signal transduction systems; agonism and antagonism; potency and efficacy; dose/concentration-response relationships; time-course of drug action. (Capability 1)
- Explain the role of input, distribution, and elimination processes on drug concentration and explain how physicochemical properties of drugs relate to pharmacokinetic principles. (Capability 1)
- Explain the patient and environmental factors that influence pharmacokinetics, including the problems encountered with the use of drugs in selected diseases and populations. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Explain the role of exposure, concentration and time on toxicity and its consequent impact on biochemistry and the clinical effectiveness of drugs. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Describe the multidisciplinary pathway of drug discovery and its application to the development of novel therapies.
- Demonstrate competency of a selected range of skills, including good laboratory practice and safety procedures, observation and measurement, precision and accuracy, calculations, data analysis and interpretation, scientific writing. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
- Use critical evaluation to identify the essentials of scientific information in written reports, and apply these skills to contribute knowledgeably to public debates around the safe and effective use of medicines. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-semester test | 15% | Individual Test |
| Assignments | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| End of semester test | 7.5% | Individual Test |
| Calculations quiz | 2.5% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 50% | Individual Examination |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Mid-semester test | ||||||||||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| End of semester test | ||||||||||
| Calculations quiz | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Learning Resources
Course manual containing powerpoint slides delivered at the lectures provided to students or made available electronically through CANVAS. Presentations can be modified prior to delivery at the discretion of each lecturer.
Course Contacts
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, a 2-hour workshop or laboratory practical, 1 hour of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.