PM2MHC: Medicines in Healthcare

Module code: PM2MHC

Module provider: Pharmacy; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Kenneth Shankland, email: k.shankland@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 12 September 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide students with an understanding of how biochemical, biological and pharmacological science knowledge is used to create and administer medicines for an appropriate therapeutic response.

This module aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of how drugs act on specific molecular targets and pharmaceutical concepts with reference to the GI tract. The module aims to teach core pharmacological and pharmaceutical concepts using an integrated learning approach. It also allows students to research specific health conditions and consider the holistic care requirements for a patient.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Use chemical, pharmaceutics, biological and pharmacological information to understand medicine development
2. Understand relevant pharmacokinetic terms and use this to explain the appropriate use of a medicine
3. Discuss the molecular targets of common drugs used to treat diseases of the GI tract
4. Discuss core science, aspects of pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics in relation to drug delivery underpinning molecular drug targets in the GI tract
5. Discuss the different administration routes with emphasis on dosage forms for GI tract administration for systemic circulation of medicines
6. Describe how some excipients in medicines can be used to alter the release of active ingredients. 

Module content

This module brings together biochemical and biological science knowledge to understand the use, mechanisms and selection of different medicines.

Expands from core principles of drug action and provides a more detailed discussion of drug pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics. The module focusses on the gastrointestinal tract and on drug delivery concepts including the different administration options for medicines (e.g. mouth) and how these affect drug use. The module will use case studies of exemplar drugs (e.g. proton pump inhibitors) to explore key concepts. Physicochemical concepts, and opportunities for the design and synthesis of known and novel drugs, will be illustrated throughout using relevant examples.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will utilise various methods of learning (e.g. lecture, workshops, independent study, problem-based learning) to support understanding and discussion of the core content.

Supplementary information and reading lists will be provided by the lecturers and the available facilities for computer-aided literature searching for related material will enable students to improve independent-learning skills.

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students will have various seminars throughout the module with activities designed to allow formative feedback and discussion on coursework and exam material.

Reassessment

Additional costs