Entry requirements

The general rules laid down by the Curriculum Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy apply (see programme curriculum).

For entry to the separate course, students are required to fulfil the basic requirements for university entry and to have at least 20 points in pharmaceutical bioscience or have the equivalent knowledge from a pharmaceutical, medical, scientific, dental, veterinary science or caring science degree course.

Aims

Having completed the course, the student shall have a knowledge of

- the modes of action of drugs, above all at the molecular level

- effects and side effects of drugs on the human organism

- pharmacological methodology and mathematical models for analysis of experimental data

- absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of drugs.

The student shall have the knowledge of pharmacology needed to contribute in different ways to safe and rational use of drugs in the community.

Content

The course comprises information on the modes of action of drugs with special emphasis on their interactions with different target proteins at the cellular level. The molecular function of ion canals and different types of receptors is discussed from a pharmacological perspective. Interactions with other drugs, pharmacological effects, side effects and therapeutic uses of drugs are also described, as well as how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and eliminated. The students also learn about radionuclides and their use in drug development and diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Instruction

The tuition comprises lectures, group exercises, literature surveys, laboratory sessions, video demonstrations and computer exercises. Special emphasis is placed on the student's ability to seek information and solve problems independently. Compulsory parts of the course: Laboratory sessions, literature surveys, video demonstrations and computer exercises.

Assessment

Written examinations are held at the end of the course. Students are required to pass the written examination (examination code) and compulsory parts of the course (examination code). Repetition of compulsory parts of the course may be done in connection with the next course at the earliest and then only if there is a vacancy. Students may resit the examination four to five weeks after completion of the course. Students are allowed to sit the examination up to six times, i.e. the first examination and five re-examinations.