FARB1000 Social Pharmacy Course description

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student  

• can explain the composition and production of mixtures, ointments, creams, gels, capsules, granulates and tablets in accordance with basic principles, and their stability and durability
• can explain the physical properties of colloids and disperse systems
• can explain physical and/or chemical factors that can influence solubility, rates of dissolubility and sedimentation
• can explain requirements related to quality, quality assurance and control of pharmaceuticals and relevant medical equipment
• can describe which physical-chemical properties of active ingredients and additives in a formulation are important in the preclinical work of the pharmaceutics process
• can explain the key concepts in drug calculations

Skills 

The student  

• masters relevant techniques for the production of non-sterile pharmaceuticals
• can use relevant pharmaceutical reference works and apply academic knowledge to suggest solutions to theoretical and practical challenges related to the production of non-sterile pharmaceuticals
• can independently create production regulations, plan, control, implement and document the production of selected pharmaceutical specimens in accordance with the relevant guidelines
• can perform drug calculations correctly and assess and review his/her own and other’s calculations, as part of responsible professional medicines management
• can apply quality assurance systems and assess and handle unwanted incidents during production and the measures that must be implemented to reduce the risk of repeat incidents

General competence  

The student 

• has insight into and an understanding of the role and responsibility of pharmacists in connection with the production of pharmaceuticals
• can discuss challenges related to pharmaceutical formulation and production without being subject to sterility requirements
• can assess possibilities for individual adaptation of pharmaceutical formulation to create the best possible health at the individual level
• has insight into and an understanding of how quality systems in pharmaceutics and quality and preparatory work contribute to increasing patient safety

The student must have been admitted to the study programme.  

Teaching is organised as a combination of lectures and practical analysis work in groups and through plenary discussions. The student will acquire a reflective attitude towards the tools of analysis through independent work with different texts.

The practical analysis work takes place in the form of two writing seminars. Prior to the first seminar, the student must submit the draft of an essay. Feedback from the person responsible for the seminar will be given in the first seminar. Prior to the second seminar, the student must submit a reworked draft of the essay, and read the first draft of two fellow students. During the second seminar, the student must provide written and oral opponent feedback on the drafts. Attendance is required at both seminars in order to receive opponent feedback and comments from the seminar tutor.

• 9 credits overlap with the course FARMA1410 Pharmaceutical Technology.
• 1 credit overlaps with the course FARMA2400 Drug Calculations

Work and teaching methods include lectures, group work, project work and seminars. Student-active learning methods and digital tools are used in the teaching to promote communication and engagement. 

The students work in groups where they use relevant course literature to discuss different everyday situations from the pharmacy and relate them to topics from the lectures. The groups must also cooperate on a project assignment.

Grade scale A-F. 

All parts of the exam: Calculator

Part 1 drug calculations: All the exam papers will be assessed by an internal examiner.

Parts 2 and 3 pharmaceutics: All exams are assessed by two examiners. At least 30% of the exam papers will be assessed by an external examiner. The external examiner’s assessment should benefit all the students.

Pass/fail

All exams are assessed by two examiners. At least 50% of the students will be assessed by an external examiner. The external examiner’s assessment should benefit all the students.

• 5 credits overlap with the course FARMA1010 Social Pharmacy, Communication and Ethics