An evaluation of a PBL approach to clinical teaching in a pharmacy undergraduate curriculum

1. An evaluation of a PBL approach to clinical teaching in a pharmacyundergraduate curriculum Catriona Innes, Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice Brian Addison, Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice School of Pharmacy, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

4. The Context • Master of Pharmacy • 4 Year Course • 600 SCQF Points • SCQF Level 7 – 11 • Approx 120 students per year • Course delivered over two semesters • Each Semester has 12 teaching weeks

5. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 1 SCQF Level 9 Points 45 Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2 (CPT2) SCQF Level 10 Points 45 Minor Illness and Health Improvement (MIHI) SCQF Level 9 Points 15

6. The Process • Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2 • Week 1 Given scenario • Week 2 Progress meeting with tutor • Week 3 Case Presentation with feedback • Minor Illness and Health Improvement • Self assessment of learning needs • Overview Lecture • PBL Coursework session • Feedback Lecture • Self-evaluation of learning

7. The Process • Stage 1 - Consider the scenario • Stage 2 – Brainstorm • Stage 3 - Acquire the knowledge • Stage 4 -Reconsider the scenario • Stage 5 - Formulate a response

8. Example of MIHI Task & Scenario • A customer asks for your advice on contraception. • Further information. Customer is a lady in her late 20s who works as a medical representative. She is in a steady relationship and, although she wants children later in life, she is at an exciting stage in her career so it is important she does not fall pregnant just now. She also confesses to having some pain when passing urine.

9. Example of CPT2 Phase 1 Task • To present an overview of the treatment of neuropathic pain in a patient with diabetes. To include: • Disease characteristics • Pharmacology and Therapeutics • Factors affecting selection • Patient Education

10. Example of CPT2 Phase 2 Task • Devise a therapeutic plan for all medical problems including; • Justification for drug selection • Monitoring for effectiveness • Monitoring for drug toxicity • Counselling

11. Example of CPT 2 Scenario (Phase 2) • A 56 year old male with type 1 diabetes presents for a review of all medicines. He also has a history of atrial fibrillation and severe neuropathic pain. • Humalog Mix 25 insulin twice daily • Digoxin 250mcg daily • Amitriptyline 25mg at night • Paracetamol as required • Atenolol 50mg daily • Also provided with relevant blood results.

12. Evaluation questionnaire • Have you found PBL to have been a useful way of learning for you? • Why? Why not? • Apart from subject knowledge, do you feel that you have gained anything else from this method of teaching? Specify • Positive & negative aspects of PBL in both modules • Any other comments

13. Was this a useful way of learning? • Response rate: • 74/99 (75%)

14. Why?(have you found it to be useful) • n=66

15. Why not?

16. Anything else gained? (apart from subject knowledge) • Yes 78% • No 22% (n=74)

17. MIHIPositives & negatives • Positives: • Good feedback • Feedback structure – knew what was expected of you • Negatives: • Groups too big • Not everyone in group contributed

18. CPT2Positives & negatives • Positives: • Practise in presenting • Dealing with disease states not encountered in lectures • Negatives: • Only looked at one aspect of each case • Some of the cases not relevant to CPT2 topics (!) • Very little feedback “feedback was awful” • Presentations weren’t assessed • Group size too big

19. A final comment... “MIHI courseworks were great fun & helped loads to learning the material. CPT2 again, lots to learn but the courseworks helped us to use all our knowledge... Well done!”

20. Does PBL work? Where is the evidence? • Here it is? • What do we need to be convinced about? • What evidence would convince us?