MEDSCI 722 : Clinical Pharmacology

Medical and Health Sciences

2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The disposition and action of medicines in humans of all ages will be explored, as well as adverse reactions, effects of pregnancy, medicine classification, and evaluation of clinical trials. Emphasis is placed on understanding the sources of variability of medicines and the use of target concentration intervention.

Course Overview

This is an advanced course in pharmacology and it is assumed that students taking the course are familiar with the basic facts of drug disposition, pharmacokinetics and mechanisms of drug action covered in MEDSCI 318.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Course Contacts

Malcolm Tingle Email: m.tingle@auckland.ac.nz

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain and reflect on how pharmacology can be applied throughout the human life span (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 8)
  2. Explain and reflect on how clinical pharmacology enhances the process of drug development and treatment of patients (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8)
  3. Evaluate clinical trials and scientific literature about medicines (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
  4. Critically evaluate a medicine datasheet (Capability 1, 3, 6 and 8)
  5. Communicate how a New Zealand datasheet aligns with current knowledge of the relationship between drug dose- concentration and effect in patients (Capability 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Critical review of medicine datasheet 30% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 60% Individual Examination
Presentation 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Critical review of medicine datasheet
Final Exam
Presentation

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 2 hours of lectures and  2 hours of reading and thinking about the content per week and 102 hours of work on assignments and exam preparation. 

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures, tutorials and student presentations to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials and student presentations will not be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including student presentations.
Attendance on campus is required for the exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning 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.

  1. Avery's Drug Treatment, 4th edition, Eds. Speight & Holford (Adis International), 1997
  2. Clinical Pharmacokinetics. Concepts and Applications, 3rd Edition, Eds., Rowland & Tozer. (Lea & Febinger), 1995
  3. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 14th Edn. Ed. B. Katzung. (Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill), 2018
  4. Principles of Clinical Pharmacology, 3rd Edn. Ed. A. Atkinson et al. (Academic Press), 2012

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.

The course underwent a complete redesign during 2023. The results of student evaluation is not available at this time, but students have been consulted during the delivery of the 2023 iteration.  

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

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 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.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.