Basic Sciences in an Integrated Medical Curriculum: The Case of Pharmacology

Integrating basic medical sciences such as pharmacology, into the teaching of medical students is not easy. The material usually provided through lectures and laboratories seems irrelevant to the practice of clinical medicine. The essence of pharmacology can be gleaned from the aphorism: Drug MEETS Body; Body MEETS Drug. The central themes are better learned in the context of clinical problems. Problem-based learning provides one possible avenue. Teachers should realise that medical schools are not the sole repository of wisdom and knowledge nor does learning cease with graduation. Students who learn to seek, synthesise and integrate information will be better prepared for life-long learning.