Briefing

Drugs! This course deals with pharmaceutical substances and ways in which they act within the human body. A strong emphasis is put on drug mechanism, application and adverse effects. All knowledge which is crucial for the appropriate usage of drugs as means of patient treatment.

The course is carried out through weekly lectures and classes - to which attendance is mandatory. The range of topics covered are split into 4 different modules - where each module concludes with a credit. At last, a final exam is written at the end of the summer semester.

Students are required to pass all the credits by attaining 60% on each and every credit. Passing all the 4 credits, in addition to appropriate attendance during class and lectures, may qualify the student for the final exam.

Class materials are not sufficient to pass the credits most students recommend using Sketchy/Ninja Nerd to understand the mechanism of the drug and an additional book to cover the details.

A good tip is to write down all the drugs which are presented in a given class presentation and lecture. After that, fill in the missing drugs by looking up the respective chapter(s) from different sources. Other sources of preference are; Sketchy, Speed Pharmacology and Ninja Nerd. Strongly recommended!

Useful resources

Sketchy
Ninja Nerd
Osmosis
Any USMLE-proof books and Q-banks (get recommendations)

Attendance

LecturesBlackboard, live / recorded

ClassesCollegium Universum, 3rd floor

Dress codeCasual

Assessment

Module Test

The Pharmacology course consists of 4 module tests, meaning there is a test at the end of each module. These tests consist of multiple-choice questions.

During the 2023/2024 academic year, one of the retakes had questions with multiple correct answers, so be sure to listen to the instructions before starting each exam.

The number of questions will vary, and the tests will cover material from both the classes and, most importantly, the recommended textbooks. Each test must be passed with at least 60%.

In case of absence, the class representative will arrange a retake date, which will also apply to those who failed the first attempt. Most tests contain between 20 and 30 questions, though this may vary.

According to the regulations, you are required to pass all tests. However, the Department typically allows for some flexibility there. A pre-exam may also be given, though this depends on the discipline in the year.

Only one retake

There is only one official retake for each test, but there might be more under agreement with the Head of Department.

Multiple Choice, one correcttype of question

2takes

Exam

In order to be admitted to the final pharmacology exam:

Student must not have any unexcused absences.

Student must be present for all classes.
Student must pass all 4 credits.
In the case of a pre-exam, student must have attained 60% of points.

The exam is 60 minutes long and will be around 60 questions. During the 2023/2024 exam, the students received 80 A-D questions and 60 minutes to solve the exam. The results are usually posted the same day, either on the website or by email to the class representative. Most students successfully complete the course that year, even though it’s known to be quite challenging.

Exemption

Exemption possible upon having received a grade of 4.5 on all credits - in addition to having passed every credit on the first try. However, this information may vary depending on various factors - consult with the Head of Department for more precise information.

Multiple Choice, one correcttype of question

3takes

Credit

Credit received after passing the final exam.

The grade which enters your transcript is taken from the exam.

For the grading scale, consider the department's website.

Gradedtype of credit

This page is edited by

Julia Dawidowicz

Class of 2027

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