FARB1020 Social Pharmacy Course description

This course provides an introduction to professional practice in the field of pharmacy, and places pharmacy in the context of professional healthcare. The course includes fundamental knowledge about health professions, health management, pharmaceuticals’ place in society and topics that form common reference points for practice of the different professions, such as laws and guidelines, critical ethical reflection skills, communication and interaction. The pharmacist’s professional practice will be elucidated with examples related to ethics, the duty of confidentiality and consent. Additionally, students learn about the rationale for evidence-based practice (EBP), with a focus on critical thinking and shared decision-making.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme.

After completing the course, the student should have 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
• can explain what characterises the concept of profession and what constitutes professional competence
• can explain ethical theory, ethical dilemmas and the importance of professional ethical guidelines
• can explain key concepts in the field of communication theory
• can explain the concept of culture and challenges related to intercultural communication
• can explain relevant laws and regulations
• is familiar with challenges in connection with pharmacological treatments and supervision of vulnerable patient groups, such as children, young people and the elderly
• can explain the pharmacy's position in the health service, including the development of health services in pharmacies
• is familiar with the use and limitations of different sources of information about pharmaceuticals
• is familiar with challenges related to the use of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and plant-based pharmaceuticals
• can describe and explain factors that affect disease, health and quality of life in groups or the population as a whole
• can describe social inequality in relation to health, and is familiar with the national and global consequences of inequality
• can describe the purpose, organisation and coordination of health and social care services
• can describe the relationship between work, education, social participation, inclusion and the experience of health
• can define what evidence-based practice (EBP) is and understands the background for EBP and shared decision-making
• knows the steps in EBP
• is familiar with the levels in the S-pyramid and recognises the differences between the various levels
• can explain the purpose and characteristics of qualitative and quantitative studies

Skills

The student

• can use digital tools in group work with fellow students
• can cooperate and communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds by being open and taking an interest
• can reflect on how and why the status of Sami as indigenous peoples affects the development of the health and social care services
• can reflect on the similarities and differences between his/her own and other's access to health services in a national, global and cultural perspective
• can identify different types of professional/clinical questions
• can formulate searchable professional/clinical questions and can create and implement an appropriate and simple search strategy for professional/clinical questions

General competence

The student

• can identify and reflect on professional ethical dilemmas in the field of pharmacy and reflect on his/her own values and efforts in simple projects and tasks relevant to the profession
• can act with empathy and respect, and promote equality that promotes co-determination in process and target-oriented work
• can understand the importance of communication when encountering people from different cultural and social backgrounds
• can critically assess health claims in the media
• can discuss the importance of user knowledge, clinical experience, and summarised research in clinical decision-making

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.

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

• A minimum attendance requirement of 80% in scheduled and supervised group work, and at seminars with oral presentations
• Presentation of a project assignment in communication
• Participation in pharmacy visit (1 day)

Oral exam in groups of 4-8 students, up to 60 minutes. Each student in the group will be assessed individually.

No aids permitted.

Pass/fail.

All answers are assessed by two examiners. An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

This course covers selected topics from biochemistry, cell biology and microbiology. Biochemistry focuses on the structural and functional aspects of biological molecules such as proteins (including enzymes), carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids, along with fundamental biochemical processes and energy transfer in human cells.

Cell biology deals with the structure/organisation of human cells and the sequence of events in the cell cycle. Other key topics include transport over the plasma membrane, signal transduction/communication between cells and the flow of information from DNA for protein synthesis.

Microbiology provides an introduction to the main groups of microorganisms (eubacteria, fungi) and viruses, and emphasises sub-groups that are particularly relevant to pharmacy and medicine. Other key topics are the mechanisms of action of antibiotics and the processes behind the development of antibiotic resistance, and identification and classification of microbes.

The laboratory course provides an introduction to basic techniques used in molecular biology and microbiology. Students will also perform simple diagnostic tests in this practical part of the course.