Integrating biomedical sciences (Physiology, Biochemistry, and Cell biology) into pharmaceutical sciences curriculum

Abstract

Like other healthcare and medical professional curricula, pharmacy is also struggling to incorporate basic medical sciences into pharmaceutical sciences. Enrollment issues complexed with disappearing admission test like (PCAT) have challenged the instructors to make sure that the first- and second-year pharmacy students are thoroughly prepared with foundational science backgrounds before they start learning clinical and experiential subjects. At the College of Health Sciences and Pharmacy Chicago State University, we prepared and tested ourselves for the same challenge. Immunology taught as a core subject in Pharmacy year-2 was one of the subjects chosen for addressing this issue. Immunology is a rapidly developing biomedical science that delves into the wondrous complexities of the immune system; an extraordinary defense mechanism system evolved to safeguard organisms from diverse threats. At the core of immunology, it overlaps basic cell biology and has an intricate network of cells, tissues, and molecules that need to be introduced to pharmacy students when teaching about the basics of the subject. Retrospective data was analyzed where Immunology was bundled with a 4-credit Microbiology courseas compared to a 2-credit Immunology course which was shifted to Pharmacy year 2. The data suggested that student’sperformance was enhanced when Immunology was offered as a standalone course in Pharmacy Year-2.