PF6010 Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Rational Use of Drugs

Program Overview

The "Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Rational Use of Drugs" module delves into the safe and effective use of medications in clinical settings, particularly palliative care. It explores adverse drug reactions, interactions, medication errors, substance abuse management, and pharmacovigilance, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to optimize drug therapy and patient outcomes.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This is a postgraduate CPD module titled "Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Rational Use of Drugs" (PF6010). It is designed to enhance understanding of safe, effective, and rational medicine use in clinical settings, particularly in palliative care. This includes understanding the mechanisms of adverse drug reactions and drug interactions, medication errors and their prevention/reporting, and the management of substance abuse.

Module Content:

• Pharmacokinetics: How drugs are handled in vivo and the clinical relevance of pharmacokinetics in practice.
• Pharmacogenetics: Its clinical applications.
• Pharmacovigilance: Monitoring drug safety in practice, the pharmacist's role in drug monitoring and managing drug-related side effects.
• Drug-Drug Interactions: Various mechanisms of drug-drug interactions.
• Medication Errors: How medication errors occur and the pharmacist's role in minimizing their occurrence.
• Substance Abuse Management: The pharmacist's role in the management of substance abuse and in the pharmaceutical care of the palliative care patient.
• Pharmaceutical Care Planning: Ensuring the rational use of medicines.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Critically evaluate the benefit/risk evaluation of drugs to ensure rational medicine use.
• Identify the mechanisms of adverse drug reactions, drug-drug, drug-disease, and drug-gene interactions and how to prevent them.
• Analyze how medication errors occur, how to prevent them, and use pharmacovigilance to monitor drug safety in practice.
• Discern the clinical relevance of pharmacokinetics, therapeutic drug monitoring, and pharmacogenomics in practice.

Teaching:

• Teaching Mode: Part-time, delivered online with 2 x 2-hour seminars (teleconferences/webinars), 30 hours of clinical placement, and 120 hours of directed study.

Assessment:

Other:

• Course Delivery Method: Online.
• Venue: School of Pharmacy, UCC.
Exact rooms to be confirmed.
• Credits: 10.
• Start Date: Closed.
• Duration: 8 weeks.
• Fees: €1,410.
• Application Fee: €35.
• Closing Date: Closed.
• Non-EU Closing Date: N/A.
• Applicants must be registered with the relevant professional accreditation authority and provide proof of registration.

• Candidates must hold a primary pharmacy degree from an approved School of Pharmacy.

• Candidates must be registered with the professional accreditation authority in their country of practice.

• Ideally, candidates should have at least two years of post-registration practical experience in their area of qualification.

• Candidates must have full access to computer and internet facilities and be computer literate.

• Candidates must be employed in a healthcare setting.

• In exceptional circumstances, candidates may be deemed suitable for entry based on their training and experience.

The fee for this module is €1,410. There is also a €35 application fee.