Promoting Rational Prescribing in Problem-Based Curriculum

Summary

In this paper an ongoing programme on rational selection of drugs and prescription writing at the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences (CMMS), Bahrain is described. The CMMS follows the integrated curriculum of problem-based, learner directed learning where all the basic and clinical sciences are presented through simulated patient problems. The six year curriculum is divided into three phases — the Premedicai, Unit and the Clerkship phase. In this programme the student acquires not only knowledge but skills, values and attitudes which go a long way in moulding him to be a good physician. Exercises on rational selection of drugs and prescribing skills are introduced in the unit system at an early stage in unit I. In this unit the student learns about the prescription order and its components, common abbreviations used, household measures and the skill to use the Formularies and the Pharmacopoeia. This is followed by exercises on prescription writing contained in a work book. During the subsequent units the student makes a regular visit to the skill laboratory where they get a new set of exercises centered around the problems in a work book containing objectives, instructions, relevant text and pages from the British National Formulary and clinico-therapeutic exercises. The exercises are aimed on rational selection of a drug, preparing personal formulary, critical appraisal of current literature and writing of chart orders and prescriptions. So far five such exercises out of the planned eight have been completed. The preliminary evaluation based on the results of the responses in work book 4 and the formative assessment have shown very encouraging results.