Structurally Based Therapeutic Evaluation: A Therapeutic and Practical Approach to Teaching Medicinal Chemistry Naser Z. Alsharif, Karen A. Theesen, and Victoria F. Roche, School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178 In keeping with the mandate for more critical thinking, problem solving, and relevance in basic pharmaceutical science courses, the Structurally Based Therapeutic Evaluation (SBTE) of drugs is a new concept that has been introduced in the medicinal chemistry courses at Creighton University. Like the medicinal chemistry case study, this concept emphasizes the relevance of chemistry to the practice of pharmacy, and demands its inclusion in the therapeutic decision making crucial to the provision of pharmaceutical care. The unique feature of the SBTE approach is the inclusion of seven therapeutic criteria that must be addressed when translating chemical and structural understanding into predicted pharmacological action and therapeutic potential. These criteria, which are the same ones used to evaluate drug therapy decisions in clinical case studies, include: drug history/drug response, patient compliance, current medical history (CMH), past medical history (PMH), side effects, biopharmaceutics, and pharmacodynamics. Students are required to apply the SBTE approach to solve patient-related therapeutic problems on homework assignments, in voluntary recitation periods, and on examinations. SBTEs are summarized for each class of drugs and the students are encouraged to find additional criteria and to supplement existing SBTE criteria based on their understanding of concepts from other courses in the curriculum. The practical impact of medicinal chemistry on the practice of pharmacy becomes increasingly apparent with every new SBTE. INTRODUCTION Energized by a series of ground-breaking papers by the Commission to Implement Change in Pharmaceutical Edu- cation, pharmacy academicians have been critically examin- ing their role in educating pharmacists for 21st century practice. Practice and science faculty alike have been ac- tively evaluating and modifying not only what is taught in their courses, but also how information is transmitted and learning assessed in the classroom and clinic. A new empha- sis on developing critical thinking and problem solving capabilities in students has emerged, as has a call to ensure that pharmaceutical science courses provide both a strong basic science foundation and relevance to contemporary pharmacy practice. These concepts and challenges are being actively embraced by many, including those who instruct in the medicinal and natural products chemistry discipline. For the past three years, the AACP Section of Teachers of Chemistry has published the report of the Section’s Task Force for Teaching Problem Solving in Medicinal Chemis try Courses. Articles describing the use of patient-oriented case studies which emphasize the importance of chemical knowledge in therapeutic decision-making have recently appeared in the Journal(1,2), and several outstanding oral and poster presentations on this topic have been made at annual meetings of the Association. Clearly, chemistry fac- ulty are contributing to the scientifically-based pharmaceu- tical care movement in pharmacy education. In keeping with the mandate for more critical thinking, problem solving, and clinical relevance in basic pharmaceu- tical science courses, the Structurally Based Therapeutic Evaluation (SBTE) of drugs concept has been introduced in the medicinal chemistry courses at Creighton University. Like the medicinal chemistry case study(1-3) this concept emphasizes the relevance of chemistry to the practice of pharmacy, and demands its inclusion in the therapeutic decision making crucial to the provision of pharmaceutical care. Students are still required to identify the chemical/ structural basis for the pharmacological and therapeutic American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education Vol. 61, Spring 1997 55