Medical Students\' View On The Methods Of Teaching Pharmacology At The Lagos State University College of Medicine, Nigeria

Objective: This study was aimed at determining the perception of the medical students of a relatively new medical school in Nigeria about the teaching of Pharmacology, the best way of learning and retaining the subject. Suggestions on the ways of making pharmacology more interesting to them were also sought. Methods: A total of forty eight 400 level medical students of the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), who were due to write 2nd Professional M.B;B.S degree examinations in 2007 and 26 successful older students that had passed the 2nd Professional M.B;B.S degree examinations in 2006, were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Some of the questions were close-ended but the ones related to suggestion on impaired teaching of the subject were open-ended. The pharmacology lecturers were also interviewed with another questionnaire, different from the one used in interviewing the students, to assess their views on the non-inclusion of clinical pharmacology topics to the curriculum and to suggest ways of improving the teaching of the subject. Results: Sixteen (41.02%) respondents and 26 (92.86%) successful older students wanted audiovisual aids teaching and inclusion of clinically oriented pharmacology lectures. Fourteen (35.89%) respondents respectively and all the successful older students wanted seminars and group discussions introduced into their programme. Over half (58.97%) of the respondents and all the successful older students wanted case studies and treatment as part of the regular teaching schedule, 20 (51.28%) respondents and 20 (76.92%) successful older students preferred inclusion of clinical pharmacology. Most of the students (respondents and older successful students) felt that special topics in clinical pharmacology should be taught both in the lectures and practical. Conclusion: Medical students are very willing to learn pharmacology from both clinical and therapeutic angles that encompass both theoretical and practical approaches. It is therefore imperative to modify the Pharmacology programme of the LASUCOM in line with the global trend.. Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol. 17 (3) 2007: pp. 100-10