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Medical educators strive to improve their curricula to enhance the student learning experience. The use of high-fidelity simulation within basic and clinical medical science subjects has been one of these initiatives. However, there is paucity of evidence on using simulation for teaching pharmacology, especially in the Middle East and North Africa region, and the effectiveness of this teaching modality, relative to more traditional ones, have not been sufficiently investigated. Accordingly, this study compares the effects of high-fidelity simulation, which is designed in alignment with adult and experiential learning theories, and traditional case-based tutorial sessions on the performance and perception of undergraduate Year 2 medical students in pharmacology in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This study employed a convergent mixed methods approach. Forty-nine medical students were randomly assigned to one of two groups during the 16-week pharmacology course. Each group underwent one session delivered via high-fidelity simulation and another via a case-based tutorial. A short multiple-choice question quiz was administered twice (immediately upon completion of the respective sessions and 5 weeks afterwards) to assess knowledge retention. Furthermore, to explore the students' perceptions regarding the two modes of learning delivery (independently and in relation to each other), an evaluation survey was administered following the delivery of each session. Thereafter, the iterative joint display analysis was used to develop a holistic understanding of the effect of high-fidelity simulation in comparison to traditional case-based tutorial sessions on pharmacology learning in the context of the study. There was no statistically significant difference in students' knowledge retention between high-fidelity simulation and case-based tutorial sessions. Yet, students expressed a greater preference for high-fidelity simulation, describing the corresponding sessions as more varied, better at reinforcing learning, and closer to reality. As such, the meta-inferences led to expansion of the overall understanding around students' satisfaction, to both confirmation and expansion of the systemic viewpoint around students' preferences, and lastly to refinement in relation to the perspective around retained knowledge. High-fidelity simulation was found to be as effective as case-based tutorial sessions in terms of students' retention of knowledge. Nonetheless, students demonstrated a greater preference for high-fidelity simulation. The study advocates caution in adapting high-fidelity simulation, where careful appraisal can lend itself to identifying contexts where it is most effective.

Core concepts are “big ideas” that can play a number of roles in helping students master a particular discipline: (1) they may define the important content of a discipline, (2) serve as tools to help students gain a better understanding of the discipline, and (3) facilitate transfer of learning between topics in the discipline. The core concepts of Physiology and of Pharmacology have been defined, and their deployment as part of Physiology and Pharmacology pedagogy is well underway. Here we compare and contrast the core concepts of these two disciplines and suggest lessons that have been learned that might assist other disciplines in deploying core concepts in their discipline. The graphical shows an example of a concept map representing the relationships between the core concepts of a discipline.

The effectiveness of an educational board game developed to teach the pharmacology of antimicrobial drugs to medical students was compared with the lecture-based seminar as a supplemental tool to improve short- and long-term knowledge retention and the perception of the learning method by students. A group of 124 students was randomized to board game and control groups. Short-term knowledge retention was assessed by comparing differences in post- and pre-tests scores, and long-term knowledge retention by comparing final examination scores. Both didactic methods seem to improve short-term knowledge retention to similar extent. Long-term knowledge retention of board game seminar participants was higher than those who attended the lecture-based seminar (ANCOVA, P = 0.035). The effect was most pronounced within 14 days after the intervention (ANOVA, P = 0.007). The board game was well perceived by the students. The board game seems to be a promising didactic tool, however, it should be further tested to assess its full educational utility. ‘AntimicroGAME’ is a promising didactic tool that has a potential to stimulate deeper understanding of the pharmacology of antimicrobial drugs.

Background Pharmacology is a cornerstone of medical education, essential for rational prescribing and patient safety. However, students often perceive it as abstract and overwhelming due to its memorization-heavy nature and limited clinical relevance. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a role-play-based clinical pharmacology internship on medical students’ attitudes towards learning the pharmacology course. Methods A mixed-methods interventional design was employed. In the quantitative phase, a one-group pretest-posttest design was used with 97 fifth-year medical students. Participants completed the “Attitude Scale Toward the Pharmacology Course for Medical School Students” before and after a one-week internship focused on rational drug use and structured around role-play activities. Paired sample t-tests were used to assess attitudinal change. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with eight students selected based on pre-post changes in attitude scores. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results There was a statistically significant improvement in students’ attitudes following the role-play-based internship (pretest mean = 37.24, posttest mean = 41.15; p  < .001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.959). Qualitative findings revealed three major themes: (1) pharmacology as difficult but essential, (2) burden of memorization, and (3) the need for clinically relevant, functional learning. Students appreciated the realism and interactivity of role-play, which enhanced their understanding of drug interactions and rational prescribing. However, some still viewed pharmacology as anxiety-provoking and overly burdensome, indicating a need for longitudinal curricular integration. Conclusions Role-play-based clinical pharmacology education significantly improves medical students’ attitudes toward learning pharmacology. Embedding realistic, scenario-based learning within pharmacology curricula may enhance student engagement, promote rational prescribing, and contribute to safer clinical practice. This positive change was supported by a high effect size of Cohen’s d = 0.96, demonstrating the significant educational impact of the intervention.

The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of educational video games as a variety applied to the traditional teaching of pharmacology in topics of antifungal and hypolipidemic drugs. Sixty‐six volunteers were divided into control group (n = 33) and experimental group (n = 33). The first group received traditional seminar only, and the second played video game designed with the use of Kahoot! platform after the seminar. The assessment of knowledge was conducted with the use of three tests: pre‐test was presented before seminar, post‐test after seminar (for control group) or after playing the video game (for experimental group), and test no. 3 took place 4 weeks later. Analysis of tests' scores with respect to both topics resulted in the observation that the control and experimental groups show statistically significant improvement in knowledge, whether it was measured after the seminar or 4 weeks later. However, the results of experimental group were statistically better in comparison to the control group. It proves that electronic GBL (game‐based learning) applied to standard educational processes increases short‐ and long‐term knowledge retention compared to traditional seminars. A scheme presenting information about the tests determining students' knowledge and questionnaire survey.

Background Traditional pharmacology education relies heavily on didactic lectures, which may limit student engagement and retention of complex concepts. Short educational videos have emerged as a promising, supplementary tool to enhance learning outcomes in medical education. This study aimed to examine the association between short educational videos and learning, retention, and student engagement in undergraduate pharmacology education. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 77 s-year male pharmacy students enrolled in Pharmacology IV at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Short educational videos (5–7 min) summarizing key lecture content were presented at the end of each lecture. An online questionnaire assessed student perceptions regarding content retention, conceptual understanding, engagement, and exam preparedness. Composite cognitive and engagement scores were calculated, and multiple linear regression analysis identified predictors of higher scores. Results Among 77 participants, 94.9% found the videos helpful in reinforcing concepts. For cognitive outcomes, 58.5% agreed the videos enhanced retention, 68.9% found them useful in recalling drug mechanisms, and 67.6% reported improved long-term retention. Regarding engagement, 72.8% felt more confident in exam preparation, and 71.4% were more likely to attend lectures. Students who relied less on external video sources had significantly higher cognitive scores (beta = 1.66, 95% CI: 0.11 to 3.21, p  = 0.036), while those who primarily read textbooks and slides had lower scores (beta = -2.56, 95% CI: -4.45 to -0.66, p  = 0.009). Higher engagement scores were strongly associated with improved cognitive outcomes (beta = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.95, p  < 0.001). Conclusion Short educational videos were associated with enhanced student learning, retention, and engagement in undergraduate pharmacology education. These findings support the integration of brief video summaries as an adjunct to traditional lecture-based instruction.

The use of animals in research and education dates back to the period when humans started to look for ways to prevent and cure ailments. Most of present day's drug discoveries were possible because of the use of animals in research. The dilemma to continue animal experiments in education and research continues with varied and confusing guidelines. However, the animal use and their handling vary in each laboratory and educational institution. It has been reported that the animals are being subjected to painful procedures in education and training unnecessarily. The extensive use of animals in toxicity studies and testing dermatological preparations has raised concerns about the ways animals are sacrificed for these \"irrelevant experiments\". On the other side of the coin are scientists who advocate the relevant and judicious use of animals in research so that new discoveries can continue. In this review, we discuss the evolution of the use of animals in education and research and how these have been affected in recent times owing to concerns from animal lovers and government regulations. A number of computer simulation and other models have been recommended for use as alternatives to use of animals for pharmacology education. In this review we also discuss some of these alternatives.

Regarding animal experiments in pharmacology teaching, ethical considerations led us to examine an alternative approach to the use of living animals. This study aimed to assess whether digital tools could replace live animal experiments in terms of motivation and knowledge acquisition. The study was carried out with students enrolled in the 5th year of the industry/research stream at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Limoges. The participants were randomly assigned to groups of traditional or digital teaching methods, with the common theme of the class being the effect of a diuretic agent (furosemide) in rats. The scenario and learning objectives were identical for the two groups. Before the class and after randomization, the acceptance of the digital educational material was assessed with a scale, which predicts the acceptability of users according to individual dimensions and social representations, followed by the assessment of the motivation by a situational motivation scale (SIMS) for both groups. After the class, the students’ motivation was assessed by a questionnaire based on Deci and Ryan's self‐determination theory. In the end, the participants were evaluated for homogeneity, based on general knowledge of renal pharmacology, and for knowledge acquisition concerning specific knowledge related to this teaching session. This study revealed a good acceptance of the digital tool and a good motivation toward the digital method among all the students. It found the two teaching methods (digital and traditional) to be equivalent in terms of motivation and knowledge acquisition. In our study, digital pedagogical tools as an alternative to live animals did not affect students’ motivation and knowledge acquisition. This study reveals a good acceptance of the digital tool and good motivation towards digital method in all of the students. It found equivalent the two teaching methods, digital and traditional in terms of motivation and knowledge acquisition.

Background The lack of interaction and communication in pharmacology courses, especially since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which required a fast shift to remote learning at medical schools, leads to an unsatisfactory learning outcome. New interactive teaching approaches are required to improve pharmacology learning attention and interaction in remote education and traditional classrooms. Methods We introduced bullet screens to pharmacology teaching. Then, a survey was distributed to first-, second- and third-year pre-clinical undergraduate medical and nursing students at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from November 2020 to March 2022. We evaluated the essential features, instructional effectiveness, and entertainment value of bullet screens. Responses to structured and open-ended questions about the strengths and weaknesses of the bullet screen and overall thoughts were coded and compared between medical and nursing students. Results In terms of essential features, bullet screens have a high degree of acceptability among students, and this novel instructional style conveniently increased classroom interaction. Considering instructional effectiveness, bullet screen may stimulate students’ in-depth thinking. Meanwhile, students tended to use bullet-screen comments as a way to express their support rather than to make additional comments or to express their different viewpoints. The entertainment value of bullet screen was noteworthy. The lack of ideas might lead to relative differences between medical and nursing students, indicating that guiding the appropriate use of bullet screen is necessary. Conclusions The bullet screen may be popularized as an auxiliary teaching approach to promote interaction between teachers and students in the classroom as well as during remote education. It is an interesting and beneficial tool in pharmacology courses, yet there are several aspects of this device that should be improved for popularization.