Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE CPH2910

 
TITLE Pharmacology Seminars 2

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit provides students with the opportunity to research and present topics in pharmacology to their peers, within a structured and moderated environment. A list of topics which are relevant to the study-units concurrently being delivered, will be prepared, and students will take turns in preparing and delivering a seminar on these topics to their peers. Emphasis will be made on group interaction, and on personal initiative at additional reading. Students will be encouraged to use different tools during their seminars, such as real time software demonstrations, short video clips, case scenarios, debates about particular issues in drug use and drug abuse etc. These seminars will be moderated by an academic who is knowledgeable in the specific topic being discussed.

Study-unit Aims:

The study-unit aims to help students develop skills of scientific presentation and discussion, as well as to incentivise them to carry out background reading beyond what is normally taught during a lecture. These seminars will proceed throughout the duration of the degree course, and will deepen in depth and breadth during successive years. During the second year, students will be particularly encouraged to source material from recent peer-reviewed publications and will be taught to apply a critical eye to published material, and be open to expressing opinions about alternative study designs, alternative interpretation of results, study limitations etc.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Discuss various pharmacology topics within a broader context;
- Recognise and assimilate the most important parts of a topic by accessing different views and data interpretations from different valid scientific sources;
- Extend the knowledge gained through selected ongoing lecture topics, through their further exploitation during these seminars;
- Read published studies with a critical eye, and be open to consider limitations of published studies, alternative study designs, potential alternative interpretation of results etc.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Use different skills and tools for delivery of a seminar;
- Present arguments and counter-arguments for a specific topic;
- Conduct appropriate research through multiple scientific information sources;
- Actively participate in discussions;
- Read and interpret scientific data critically.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main text:

- Ritter JM, Flower RJ, Henderson G, Loke YK, MacEwan D, Rang HP. Rang & Dale's Pharmacology. 9th Ed. 2019. Elsevier.

Supplementary readings:

- Brunton L, Knollmann B, Hilal-Dandan R.Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 13th Ed. 2017. McGraw-Hill Education.
- Scientific papers relating to the specific seminar topic.

Journals:

- Molecular pharmacology. Published by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
- British Journal of Pharmacology. Published by the British Pharmacological Society.
- British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Published by the British Pharmacological Society.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Seminar and Independent Study

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation (15 Minutes) SEM2 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Shane Desselle
Charlie Abela
Bernice Azzopardi Meli
Corinne Maria Bowman
Maria Caruana
Maria A. Cordina (Co-ord.)
Jessica Debattista
Laura Grech
Vanessa Petroni
David Saliba

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit