Abstract
Background: Due to curricular changes at Leiden University Medical School, students have been exposed to different amounts of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy education. Cohort 1999 received little training; whereas cohort 2000 was provided with self-study materials preclinically and extra attention to pharmacotherapy during rotations. This study compares the cohorts by performance in and perception of pharmacotherapeutic abilities during the internal medicine rotation.
Results: Preclinically, both cohorts were unable to adequately complete therapeutic plans. While cohort 1999 did not improve during the rotation, cohort 2000 did. For both cohorts the percentage of students feeling confident about various pharmacotherapeutic abilities increased significantly during rotations, but only 25% felt secure about their overall ability.
Conclusions: The extra education helped cohort 2000 perform better, but did not improve their confidence in their pharmacotherapeutic ability. Thorough preclinical training and compulsory practice with feedback and assessment are necessary for students to develop competence in pharmacotherapy.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Eline Dubois
ELINE DUBOIS, PhD, is senior lecturer and coordinator of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy education at the Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
Kari Franson
KARI FRANSON, PharmD, is Associate Professor and coordinator of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy education at the Leiden University Medical Center and Director of Education at the Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Jan Bolk
JAN BOLK, MD, PhD, is Professor of Medical Education of Internal Medicine at the Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
Adam Cohen
ADAM COHEN, MD, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Leiden University Medical Center and Director CEO of the Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, the Netherlands.