Case Based Approach in Pharmacology
Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 2014;4 (1): 301-305
Copyright © 2014 CEA&INEA
Published online by NepJOL-INASP
www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE eISSN 2091-0800
Case Based Approach in Pharmacology: A Novel Approach
Banerjee I
1
1
Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal
Chief Editor
Dr. Brijesh Sathian
Technical Editor
Dr. Nishida Chandrasekharan
Formatting Editor
Dr. Ram Lakhan
Editorial
Manipal College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS), Pokhara
which is the first private medical college of Nepal
established on 1994
1
. It is affiliated to Kathmandu
University. Students from Nepal, Srilanka, Bangladesh,
India, Canada, USA and Africa studies at this esteemed
institution
2
. The author has joined MCOMS on 2008 as a MD
Pharmacology resident and is actively involved in teaching
and learning process of Pharmacology. He is the first MD in
Pharmacology under Kathmandu University from Nepal. The
author has also completed MBBS from the same institution
3,4
.
In Nepal MBBS is an integrated course for four and half
years. Pharmacology is taught in the first two years viz. first
four semesters
5, 6, 7
. Often a student finds Pharmacology as a
dry and boring subject. They find it difficult to remember
the name of the drugs. So often they neglect and find it less
interesting as compared to the other subjects of Basic
Sciences. One of the major drawbacks a student faces is that
they are not acquainted with the hospital and they don’t
see patient. In a simplified way pharmacology is a subject
that deals with the drug. But ultimately the drug has to be
used in the patient.
According to the present Kathmandu University curriculum
student has to study General Pharmacology, Autonomic
Nervous System, Integumentary system, Musculoskeletal
system, Respiratory system and Cardiovascular system in
the first year. In the second year they has to study
Gastrointestinal system, Renal System, Endocrine,
Reproductive, Miscellaneous topics and Central Nervous
system. According to the new curriculum the exam pattern
has also changed at Manipal College of medical college.
Currently there are multiple choice question, problem
based question and short answer question pattern followed
in the examinations. I have found in my past 6 yrs of
teaching pharmacology
8
that case oriented approach of
teaching pharmacology is a very good method in teaching
pharmacology and it is a novel approach in Nepal. Southern
Illinois University School of Medicine, United States has
shown that case oriented approach is a good technique of
the medical education
9
.
Some of the examples of case oriented approach in
Pharmacology have been discussed in this paper.
# CASE 1: ANS- Reversible Anti cholinesterse drugs
Miss X, 18/female from Arwa, Kaski was brought to
Manipal Teaching Hospital
10
on 12.1.2011 with a history of
consumption of half a bottle of (Metacid) Insecticides
after failing in the SLC (Class 10) Examination.
#History of Presenting Illness
She has a history of ingestion of half a bottle of Poison.
After that she has vomiting of 6 episodes and also Urination,
Salivation, Diarrhoea were Positive. There were no h/O-
Seizure, Respiratory & Cardiac Depression .
#On Examination
# GCS-10/15, Pulse-60/min, RR-32/min, BP-90/60 mm Of
Hg, Spo2-70% Without O2.Pallor, Icterus, Cyanosis,
Clubbing, Lymphadenopathy and Edema were negative.
Corresponding Author:
Dr. Indrajit Banerjee MD
Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology,
Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal
E-mail: indrajit18@gmail.com