PHARMACY 767 : Advanced Pharmacotherapy

Medical and Health Sciences

2024 Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explores current pharmacotherapeutics in the context of patients with complex pathologies and complex clinical needs, allowing for some specialisation in the student's areas of interest.

Course Overview

The course is designed to facilitate the development of hospital and community pharmacists as patient-centred practitioners with an enhanced capability to question, analyse and develop the delivery of pharmacy services at an advanced level and with particular reference to special patient populations.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: PHARMACY 764, 765

Course Contacts

Course Director:
Jo Barnes BPharm(Hons) PhD MPS RegPharmNZ FISoP FLS
Professor in Herbal Medicines
Deputy Head
School of Pharmacy
University of Auckland
E: j.barnes@auckland.ac.nz


Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify, review, appraise and assemble published evidence in the context of applying knowledge in complex therapeutic areas (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
  2. Integrate knowledge of published evidence with the needs and preferences of patients in order to develop comprehensive pharmaceutical care plans at an advanced level (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  3. Select effective and appropriate pharmacotherapeutic agents and strategies for treatment of patients in special populations (Capability 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  4. Critically analyse the impact of adverse drug reactions on pharmacotherapeutics, including those associated with herbal/complementary medicines (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8)
  5. Consider and critically analyse the application of pharmacoeconomics, where appropriate in respect of patient care (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  6. Consider and critically analyse the application of pharmacogenetics, where appropriate, in respect of individualising patient care (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  7. Communicate at an advanced level using both written and oral forms of communication (Capability 4, 6 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 70% Individual Coursework
Care Plan (Pharmaceutical) 10% Individual Coursework
Presentations 20% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Assignments
Care Plan (Pharmaceutical)
Presentations

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 20 hours per week involved in the teaching and learning activities related to this course. 
For this course, you can expect 15 hours of lectures, a 15 hours of tutorials and workshops, 180 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 90 hours of work on assignments and/or preparation for presentations.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities, including study days/tutorials/lectures to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Some other learning activities, such as study days will be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events, including group discussions/tutorials/presentations.
Attendance on campus is required for the final assessments (student presentations).
The activities for the course are scheduled during evenings and weekend days.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Several changes have been made to the course over the last couple of years as a result of student feedback, particularly in relation to workload. Module 4 and its assignment were substantially refreshed for 2022 and new teaching staff introduced for the module in 2022 and 2023. New teaching staff were introduced for module 1 for 2023; we await student feedback from SET evaluations on teaching staff. Previous changes to the course have worked well and no further changes are planned for 2024. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.