Design of a problem-based undergraduate course in pharmacology: implications for the teaching of physiology.

University learning can be either teacher centered or student centered. Problem-based self-directed learning in the context of small groups provides students with an opportunity to take greater responsibility for their own learning. In problem-based learning, process and content are inextricably linked, with the three cardinal elements being the students, the tutors, and the problems. The design of such an undergraduate course in pharmacology is described, and the implications for teaching physiology are discussed.