91823 Principles of Drug Actions
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 2 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 91181 Principles of Drug Actions AND 91707 Pharmacology 1
Description
Pharmacology is a biomedical discipline that is involved with the study of the effects of drugs on living systems. This subject provides the introductory principles governing drug action that are developed further in 91183 Drugs in the Human Body and 91182 Mechanism of Drugs in Treatment.
The major objectives of this subject are to develop the concept of dose-response relationships and an understanding of the sites, mechanisms and specificity of drug action. It explores the chemical nature of drugs and the relationship between structure and activity.
Online content is complemented by a Zoom tutorial program which emphasises the relationship between the properties of a drug and its delivery.
The study of pharmacology is a desirable part of any general medical or bioscience education and is also relevant to those intending to pursue careers in teaching, law, and local government. For this reason, this subject is directed not only towards training specialist pharmacologists but aims at providing a broad education about drugs that may affect living organisms and impact on society. In order to do this, the fundamental principles of pharmacology must be fully understood before the applied aspects of drug action can be discussed.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 01. | Apply the principles of pharmacokinetics in describing drug uptake, transport, metabolism and excretion from the human body. |
|---|---|
| 02. | Explain drug activity through interactions with target molecules including receptors, transporters and enzymes. |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
1.Disciplinary knowledge
From course information, you will gain an understanding of the nature, practice and application of the principles of pharmacology. The Zoom tutorial will give you the opportunity to apply these principles using real-life scenarios.
2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking
Understanding how to apply scientific knowledge to tackle real life case scenarios will be taught through the pharmacokinetic case studies. Critical thinking will potentiate accuracy of responses.
3.Professional, ethical and social responsibility
3a. Problem-solving skills: Developing logical thought and problem-solving skills critical to scientific practice and will be taught in Zoom tutorials and assessed in quizzes.
5.Communication
Scientific knowledge can be communicated in different ways. Students will be assigned pharmacokinetic case studies to work through in groups and present during the Zoom tutorial session.
Teaching and learning strategies
Students will direct their learning with online material presented on Canvas. They will use the knowledge for active discussion with their peers via monitored discussion boards and Zoom tutorial sessions.
Over the course, emphasis will be placed on modes of drug action, structure-activity relationships and drug targets. During the course, there will be opportunities to assess your understanding of the topic and discuss responses through the use of monitored discussion boards and a Zoom tutorial session. Resources and activities are to be accessed via Canvas.
Students will be given access to a self-directed Dose-Response tutorial. They are encouraged to direct their learning with video links provided and engage in coordinated learning via the monitored discussion boards.
In the Pharmacokinetic Zoom Tutorial, you will work in groups to tackle a range of pharmacokinetic problems based on real-life examples relating to the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs. During the final hour of the tutorial, you will be given 30 minutes to complete responses based on a case study involving drug interactions to determine the mechanism, potential consequences for patients and alternative therapeutic strategies. Your group will be required to present your case study findings in a five minute presentation to the subject coordinator over Zoom. The tutorial component will be worth 30% of your mark and the case study presentation worth 20%.
Content will further be assessed through an End of Session Quiz that will be delivered on Canvas. You may sit the quiz anytime from 9am Monday 20th January to 5pm Wednesday 22nd January. The quiz will run for 40 minutes, timing will start upon opening the quiz. You have one (1) opportunity to sit this quiz. All topics delivered on Canvas and during the Zoom tutorial are assessable in this quiz. It will be worth 50% of your final mark.
Supplementary assessment items and examinations for this course are not available.
It is recommended that any questions regarding the above are posted to the monitored message board prior to e-mailing the subject coordinator.
Content (topics)
Concepts of potency, drug/receptor interactions, agonists and antagonists; pharmacokinetics – factors controlling drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Assessment task 1: Pharmacokinetics Case Study
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking 3. Professional, ethical and social responsibility 3a. Problem-solving skills 5. Communication |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 01 and 02 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 5 mins |
| Criteria: | Accuracy of responses, presentation style (format, clarity of speech, succinctness) |
Assessment task 2: Assessment task 2: End-of-Session Quiz
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 01 and 02 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 40 mins |
| Criteria: | Accuracy of responses |
Assessment task 3: Assessment task 3: Pharmacokinetics Zoom tutorial
| Intent: | This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes: 1. Disciplinary knowledge 2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 01 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 23 MCQ and short answer questions |
| Criteria: | Accuracy of responses |
Minimum requirements
Any assessment task worth 40% or more requires the student to gain at least 40% of the mark for that task. If 40% is not reached, an X grade fail may be awarded for the subject, irrespective of an overall mark greater than 50.
Students are expected to attend the mandatory Zoom tutorial session.