units

PAC4451

Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

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This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2016 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

Monash University

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Coordinator(s)

Dr David Manallack (Parkville); Dr Shaun Lee Wen Huey (Malaysia)

Offered

Malaysia

  • First semester 2016 (Day)

Parkville

  • First semester 2016 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit aims to provide the foundations for the:

  • Management of dermatological conditions to ensure optimal treatment for patients.
  • Management of pain arising from a variety of sources and to ensure optimal treatment for patients
  • Management of musculoskeletal disorders - rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis arthritis and gout.

The unit also integrates detailed information concerning chemistry and pharmacology with the clinical aspects of medications associated with dermatology, pain management and various musculoskeletal disorders.

Drug therapy principles for particular conditions and patient groups will be emphasized enabling students to acquire the skills necessary to provide clinical pharmacy services within these areas.

Students will perform a number of tasks that will help foster the development of critical thinking and oral and written communication skills, leadership and teamwork.

Outcomes

At the completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Understand the pathophysiology of pain and a range of musculoskeletal and dermatological conditions;
  2. Describe skin structure and skin pathology;
  3. Exemplify the chemistry of the different classes of drugs used in the management of pain and a range of musculoskeletal and dermatological conditions;
  4. Understand the concepts of structure-activity relationships for the drugs used in the management of pain and a range of musculoskeletal and dermatological conditions;
  5. Explain the pharmacology of the drugs used in the management of pain and a range of musculoskeletal and dermatological conditions;
  6. Describe how pain is detected and explain the pathways that transmit pain signals to the brain;
  7. Indicate what is current best practice for the management of dermatological disorders, as well as pain and musculoskeletal conditions (including drug and non-drug therapies), with an emphasis on the role of the pharmacist.
  8. Recognize the usual symptoms of pain and a range of musculoskeletal and dermatological conditions seen in the pharmacy and be able to determine when the patient requires referral to a medical practitioner.
  9. Evaluate and critically analyse simulated patient information together with any associated treatment regimes, to develop appropriate recommendations for therapy to optimise health outcomes.

Assessment

Final exam: 60%; mid-semester tests (online): 10%; problem-based exercises: 30%.

Workload requirements

Contact hours for on-campus students:

  • Thirty 1-hour lectures
  • One 2-hour workshop

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at: