Vision
The vision of the Department of Pharmacology at Basrah College of Medicine is to be a recognized and distinguished institution in the field of pharmacology and therapeutics in Iraq in particular and in the region at large by providing excellent teaching and training for medical students and relevant disciplines.
Mission
The mission of the Department is to provide instructions and information in pharmacology for the education and preparation of undergraduate and postgraduate medical and other health care professional students, leading to the rational effective and safe use of drug therapy with emphasis on ethical aspects in drug prescription. The Department of Pharmacology endorses student centered lifelong learning. The Department also aims at providing high quality research activities directed at local problems related to drugs and poisons and looking for counterfeit medications. The Department also tries to serve the community as a consulting body in drug issues and through other services such as therapeutic drug monitoring, and continuous medical education.
Objectives
1. To provide a course in pharmacology with the aim of achieving adequate knowledge and competence in pharmacology, which form the basis for rational drug therapy in medical practice. The student by the end of the course should be able to:
a. Understand the mechanism of drug action at molecular as well as cellular levels, both desirable and adverse.
b. Understand the principles of pharmacokinetics i.e. drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion and be able to apply these principles in therapeutic practice.
c. Recognize that drugs have action at most systems and should be able to group drugs with common pharmacological actions and appreciate that this classification is not absolute.
d. Be able to know or to prototype drugs of clinical importance within each pharmacological group
e. Know the common serious side effects and contraindications of each prototype drug, its interactions and factors modifying drug action.
f. Know the general principles of acute drug poisoning and other drug related problems such as addiction and abuse.
2. To conduct studies in the field of pharmacology, both basic and clinical, as well as in toxicology to enrich pharmacological knowledge and help in solving problems related to drugs in Iraq at large and in Basrah in particular.
3. To establish a channel of collaboration between our undergraduate and postgraduate studies and the High Commission of Medical Specializations and other colleges of the medical group such as colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy to conduct joint workshops, conferences, research and postgraduate supervision and examination.
4. The department aims to be a part of drug vigilance in partnership with the general Directorate of Health in Basra to document and follow up cases of abnormal drug use and poisoning as well as counterfeit drugs. In addition, the department looks for establishing drug poison information service and drug monitoring laboratories as a part of the services offered to community.
History
The Department of Pharmacology was established in 1970/1971 to provide a course in pharmacology with the aim of achieving adequate knowledge and competence in pharmacology, which form the basis for rational drug therapy in medical practice. The student by the end of the course should be able to:
1. Understand the mechanism of drug action at molecular as well as cellular levels, both desirable and adverse.
2. Understand the principles of pharmacokinetics i.e. drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion and be able to apply these principles in therapeutic practice.
3. Recognize that drugs have action at most systems and should be able to group drugs with common pharmacological actions and appreciate that this classification is not absolute.
4. Be able to know or to prototype drugs of clinical importance
within each pharmacological group
5. Know the common serious side effects and contraindications of each prototype drug, its interactions and factors modifying drug action.
6. Know the general principles of acute drug poisoning and other drug related problems such as addiction and abuse.
The Department uses several methods for instructing the students including lectures, tutorials, and practical demonstration. In the third year 3 lectures and 2- hour practical period per week will be given.
In the fifth year the department is involved in teaching a 15 hour-lecture course in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in the second term as a part of the subject of medicine.
The department also aims at integration with other departments in the college through joint meetings, seminars and examinations.
nabeel.ali@uobasrah.edu.iq