USE OF COMPUTER-BASED CASE-STUDIES IN A PROBLEM-SOLVING CURRICULUM

In this article we discuss the use of computers in the teaching of phy sical chemistry in the PharmD curriculum, in a problem-solving oriente d course based on the performance of case studies by groups of student s. The purpose of the course is both to increase the computer literacy of students, while at the same time educating them in critical thinki ng and problem-solving in areas relevant to pharmaceutical formulation and delivery. We will discuss three computer-based case studies which address the kinetics of drug degradation, the flocculation of dispers ed systems and the sequestration of drugs via binding to albumin. In a nswering these case studies, students were expected to use MS-Windows, Excel spreadsheets, e-mail, molecular graphics, word processing, on-l ine literature searching and other computer-based techniques. The emph asis on computation was motivated by the changing role of the pharmaci st, and the need for pharmacy graduates to effectively compete with ot her professionals in the job market. We believe that individuals who p ossess effective computer skills, strong foundations in fundamental ph armaceutical concepts, and an ability to problem-solve will be able to make contributions in many areas, and will have the flexibility to re spond to a changing professional environment.