1. Comprehensive faculty development programmes-empowered faculty excel in creating vibrant pharmacology education. Dr. Ragini Vaishnav Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy College of Medicine & Health Sciences Sultan Qaboos University P O Box 35, Al Khod 123, Sultanate of Oman

2. Introduction 7-year MD programme, 7-year MD programme, (4 years preclinical, 3 years clinical) (4 years preclinical, 3 years clinical) Semester calender Semester calender 15 weeks-full semester, 15 weeks-full semester, 8 weeks-summer semester Credit system Credit system Based on student-teacher contact time, Based on student-teacher contact time, course load Teaching leans towards PBL- Teaching leans towards PBL- use hybrid PBL models Intensive English taught in 1 st year Intensive English taught in 1 st year

3. Introduction and purpose Need to “educate” medical faculty ? SQU College of Medicine offers: Certificate in Health Professions Education Train the Trainer Assessment Workshop Intoductory Instructional Skills Development Programme E-learning and WebCT Workshop Ideal Assessment Databank Workshop

4. Methodology Certificate in health professions education 3 day programme focussing on: Principles of learning and teaching Planning a curriculum- a systematic approach Skills in facilitating student learning- different settings Student assessment, course and teacher evaluation

5. Certificate in health professions education Highlights Adult learning principles Implications for teaching Course design Learning objectives for given competency Microteaching Group activity Lecturing skills Preparing and delivering Audio-visual aids Small group teaching Fish bowl activity- a PBL tutorial Teaching / learning in clinical settings With patients, skills

6. Student assessment and evaluation Choosing assessment instruments- Validity, reliability, impact on learning, feasibility Assessment of knowledge, competence A-type MCQs and writing guidelines EMIs, MEQs, SAQs, reports, projects OSCE, OSPE spot, practicals Standard setting in medical examinations Norm referenced, criterion-referenced Oral examinations

7. Course and teacher evaluation- a reflective continuum Evaluation by students Evaluation by peers Evolution-curriculum, effective teaching/assessment Evaluation by external experts

8. Pharmacology teaching in the MD programme General Pharmacology 2 nd year Pharmacology Course 4 th year Therapeutics course 6 th year System-based integrated courses 3 rd / 4 th year Integrated lecture series programme 5 th year

9. Innovative approaches in teaching pharmacology System-based integrated approach Use of CAL programmes Integrated seminars Student–centered case-based discussions WebCT and e-learning

10. Innovative approaches in teaching 4 th year Pharmacology use of e- learning Online exams on WebCT Student-centered case-based discussions

11. Course Content (Pharmacology) taught in 4 th year Antimicrobial chemotherapy Immunopharmacology Cancer chemotherapy ADRs Drug interactions Toxicology

12. Case-based discussions…. positive experience Student centered Small group Reinforce basic pharmacology Relate theory to practice Assessed Tutor facilitated

13. Learning through case-based discussions No. of students

14. E-learning WebCT Online teaching / learning tool Information dissemination Lecture notes, PPT, resources Online student discussion Online assessment

15. Assessment Modalities Online incourse assessments using WebCT (using A-type MCQ’s, vignettes, extended matching)  Use of ITEMAN for exam analysis.  Feedback to students. Assessment of case-based presentations End-course assessment Viva for borderline students

16. Students’ opinions on the best way to learn pharmacology

17. Conclusion  With our innovative approach we are moving towards the following more balanced and modern goals in pharmacology teaching and learning: more clinically relevant core information limiting extreme details that may be irrelevant to a ‘Doctor’ drug-patient disease oriented concepts improved overall student performance student autonomy in learning