Educational work of Clinical Pharmacology

Senior Students of General Medicine Faculty, Faculty of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty for international students are trained at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology

The educational process is carried out at 4 clinics: 3rd Children's Polyclinic, 4 City Hospital, City Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital, 15^th city Polyclinic.

Teaching of the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology" is conducted for specialties: 1‑79 01 01 General Medicine (in Russian and English); 1-79 01 02 Pediatrics; 1-79 01 07 Dentistry (in Russian and English); 1-79 01 03 Medical and Preventive Care; the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy" for the specialty 1-79 01 08 Pharmacy (full-time and part-time training in Russian and in English), as well as elective courses Safety and Risks of Pharmacotherapy, Clinical Pharmacology and Tactics of Using Medicines Used in Cardiology, Principles of Conducting Clinical Trials of Medicines in Accordance with International ICH GCP Rules, Phytotherapy in Modern Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology and Tactics of Using Antimicrobial Drugs for the specialty: 1-79 01 01 General Medicine; Use of Medicines in Children and Adolescents with Diseases of the Digestive Organs for the specialty: 1-79 01 02 Pediatrics; Pharmaceutical care of patients with cardiovascular diseases, Pharmaceutical care of patients with diseases of the digestive system, Pharmaceutical care of patients with diseases of the excretory system, Pharmaceutical care of patients with diseases of the respiratory system for the specialty 1-79 01 08 Pharmacy.

Continuing education courses are offered for medical specialists and faculty members at healthcare institutions in the following curricula: Pharmacoeconomic and pharmacoepidemiological aspects of clinical pharmacology; Formulation and use of restrictive lists of drugs; Specific aspects of clinical trials of drugs involving elderly patients, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) requirements.

Since 2009, the Department has been deepening professional knowledge and refining practical skills, as well as mastering advanced medical technologies in clinical pharmacology.

Clinical pharmacology is an academic discipline that provides systematized scientific knowledge about the effects of drugs on the human body, with the goal of improving the efficacy and safety of their clinical use. Since clinical pharmacology combines elements of classical pharmacology and clinical medicine, the course "Clinical Pharmacology" aims to help students develop a holistic understanding of this area of medical science and teach strategies for a differentiated approach to the selection and individual use of drugs in specific patients, taking into account the specific characteristics of the disease manifestations based on the analysis of all clinical and pharmacological data.

The goal of clinical pharmacology is to study the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in a clinical setting and to teach students pharmacotherapy strategies.

The objectives of teaching clinical pharmacology are addressed in a practical context through the study of clinical diagnostic and treatment protocols approved by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus:

• Selection of the most effective and safe agents for rational pharmacotherapy based on knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics;
• Selecting methods for objectively monitoring the efficacy and safety of prescribed medications;
• Scientifically based selection of drug combinations in specific clinical situations;
• Prediction, prevention, early detection, and treatment of adverse drug reactions.
• Upon completion of the Clinical Pharmacology course, students should

know:

• the nomenclature and main classes of drugs;
• the pharmacological properties and principles of clinical use of drugs;
• the rules for clinical testing and registration of new drugs;
• the principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs, and the specifics of drug use depending on the patient's age;
• the clinical and pharmacological characteristics of the main drugs used in therapy (surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, anesthesiology) in order to select the optimal and safest drug for individual patient pharmacotherapy;
• the principles of rational and safe pharmacotherapy;
• the problems of drug allergies, principles of their prevention and treatment;
• methods for preventing adverse (side) reactions to drugs;

be able to:

• Write and fill a doctor's prescription;
• Collect a pharmacological and allergological history and select medications for the treatment of a specific patient;
• Inform patients about the nature of drug action, administration instructions, and possible adverse reactions;
• Provide emergency medical care to patients experiencing anaphylactic shock, hypertensive crisis, asthma attacks, and hepatic and renal colic;
• Adjust dosage regimens in the event of pathological changes in the functions of organs and systems responsible for the biotransformation and elimination of drugs, as well as during the combined use of drugs;
• Evaluate scientific information on the effectiveness of drugs and other agents, and consult reference and other literature on drugs;
• Prepare reports of adverse drug reactions
• Select effective and safe medications for the treatment of major diseases in children, pregnant women, and the elderly
• Assess the risk of drug interactions;

In accordance with the current curricula, clinical pharmacology is taught in the sixth year for students of the General Medicine Faculty, the Military Medical Faculty, and the Faculty of International Students, comprising 140 hours; 114 hours for pediatrics; 90 hours for fifth-year students of the Faculty of Dentistry; and 120 hours for students of the Faculty of Preventive Medicine. Classes for full-time students in the Faculty of Pharmacy are held in the 8th semester (21 lecture hours and 48 practical hours) and the 9th semester (6 lecture hours and 54 practical hours). Classes for part-time students in the Faculty of Pharmacy are held in the 7th semester (6 lecture hours), the 8th semester (12 practical hours), and the 9th semester (12 practical hours).

For students in the General Medicine, Pediatrics, and International Students departments, as well as students of the Military Medical Institute, the curriculum includes writing a case history. In addition, all students learn how to conduct an expert assessment of the efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy prescribed to inpatients and how to write prescriptions. Practical classes include solving case studies and analyzing case histories.

Lectures are given by professors and associate professors of the department. The Department of Clinical Pharmacology is constantly improving innovative teaching methods.

Traditional teaching methods are used: lectures, practical classes, and elements of guided independent student work. The course is conducted using modern educational and information resources (computer presentations of lectures and practical classes) and interactive resources on the university's local computer network.

Electronic teaching and methodological tools have been developed and approved for all faculties in the Moodle system, including for international students in English:

Electronic teaching and methodological tool for the academic discipline "Pharmacology in Sports Medicine" for specialty 1-79 01 01 "General Medicine" in the Sports Medicine residency program (2019)

Electronic teaching and methodological tool for the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology" for specialty 1-79 01 01 "General Medicine" (2018)

Electronic teaching and methodological tool for the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology" for specialty 1-79 01 02 "Pediatrics" (2024)

Electronic teaching and methodological tool for the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology" for specialty 1-79 01 07 "Dentistry" (2023)

Electronic teaching and methodological complex for the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy" for specialty 1-79 01 08 "Pharmacy" (full-time education) (2025)

Electronic teaching and methodological complex for the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy" for specialty 1-79 01 08 "Pharmacy" (part-time education) (2025)

Electronic teaching and methodological complex for the academic discipline "Fundamentals of Pharmacoeconomics" for specialty 1-79 01 08 "Pharmacy" (2023)

Electronic teaching and methodological complex for industrial practice "Pharmacological" for part-time students of the Faculty of Pharmacy (2019)

Electronic teaching and methodological complex "Industrial Pharmacological Internship" for 5th-year full-time students of the Faculty of Pharmacy (2019)

Electronic educational and methodological complex "Clinical Pharmacology" for specialty 1-79 01 03 "Medical and Preventive Care" (2025)

Teaching, learning, and instructional set in the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology" for the specialty 1-79 01 07 "Dentistry" (2022) electronic form

Teaching, learning, and instructional set in the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology" for the specialty 1-79 01 01 "General Medicine" (2022) electronic form

Teaching, learning, and instructional set in the academic discipline "Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacological Therapy" for the specialty 1-79 01 08 "Pharmacy" electronic form (2019)

Teaching, learning, and instructional set in the academic discipline "Fundamentals of Pharmacoeconomics" for the specialty 1-79 01 08 “Pharmacy” electronic form (2020)

Teaching, learning and instructional set in the academic discipline “Pharmacological Practice” for the specialty 1-79 01 08 “Pharmacy” electronic form (2021)

At the end of the course, students in the Faculty of General Medicine and Pharmacy, the Faculty of Medicine for International Students, and students of the Military Medical Institute take an exam. Students in the Faculty of Pediatrics take a differentiated credit, and students in the Faculty of Preventive Medicine and Dentistry take a credit.

Student knowledge is assessed using the department's developed test questions (programmed assessment) for initial, current, and final knowledge levels. Electronic self-assessment programs are also used for students in all faculties.