FARMA1010 Social Pharmacy, Communication and Ethics Course description

The main focus of the course is the scientific, social and humanistic basis for health professions and health services. The course emphasises the fields of social pharmacy, communication and ethics. The subject as a whole forms a common frame of reference for practising the different professions.

The course will have a particular focus on knowledge and skills that promote respect, empathy and reflection, along with cooperation and communication skills. The goal is to ensure common competence that includes knowledge about the health and welfare services, laws and regulations and important challenges in society, in addition to general competence such as communication and cooperation skills, and the ability to take a critical approach to ethical issues. The general course content is placed in a pharmacy context, and reference is made to the pharmacist's place in the health service for each user and for society at large.

Listed below are the subjects covered by the course, with credits specified:

• Social pharmacy, 5 credits
• Profession, cooperation and communication, 4.5 credits
• Ethics, 4 credits
• Theory of science and research methods, 1.5 credits

The student must have been admitted to the study programme.

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

Knowledge

The student

• is familiar with the professional role of the pharmacist in a historical, current and future-oriented perspective
• is familiar with the role of pharmaceuticals in the health service in a national and global perspective
• is capable of explaining different perspectives on health and illness, in addition to social differences in health
• is familiar with how the health care system in Norway is organized
• is familiar with the pharmacy's place in Norway, including the development of health services at pharmacies
• is capable of explaining relevant laws and regulations
• is capable of explaining ethical theories, ethical dilemmas and the importance of professional ethical guidelines
• is capable of explaining key concepts in the field of communication theory and challenges related to intercultural communication
• has an understanding of the challenges in the guidance of vulnerable patient groups such as children, young people and the elderly
• is familiar with the use and the limitations of different sources of information about pharmaceuticals
• has an understanding of the challenges associated with the use of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and plant-based drugs
• is familiar with the methods used in social and natural sciences and which forms of knowledge are central to the health disciplines
• is familiar with the research process involved in pre-clinical and clinical studies, the requirements for approval of pharmaceuticals and plant-based products and how pharmaceuticals are marketed
• is familiar with pricing of pharmaceuticals including import and general economy

Skills

The student

• is capable of carrying out simple searches for information, referencing scientific sources and preparing a literature list
• is capable of using interview as a qualitative data collection method
• is capable of using digital tools in group work with fellow students
• is capable of cooperating and communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds by being open and taking an interest

General competence

The student is capable of

• identifying and reflecting on the professional ethical dilemmas in the field of pharmacy and critical reflection on his/her own values and efforts in simple projects and tasks relevant to the profession
• reflecting on the similarities and differences between his/her own and other's access to health services in a national, global and cultural perspective
• acting with empathy and respect and promoting equality that promotes co-determination in work, which is process and goal-oriented

Work and teaching methods include lectures, group work, project work and seminars. Some of the teaching will take place as joint lectures with students from other health science programmes at the faculty. Teaching activities in the programme will concretise and highlight the subject matter from a pharmaceutical perspective. Student-active learning methods and digital tools are used 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 also have to cooperate on a project assignment. As part of the work on the project assignment, the students visit a pharmacy where they carry out observations and interview a pharmacist. The project work concludes with the students giving an oral presentation about their assignment and taking on the role of opponent for another group's assignment.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• a minimum attendance requirement of 80% at scheduled and supervised group work, and at seminars with oral presentations
• minutes from group meetings
• presentation of the project assignment in groups of 5-7 students

Exam content: The learning outcomes.

Exam form: Individual oral exam, up to 20 minutes.

None.

Pass/fail

One external and one internal examiner will assess at least 30% of the candidates. Two internal examiners will assess the remaining candidates. The external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students.