title: A case-based toxicology elective course to enhance student learning in pharmacotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of a case-based toxicology elective course on student learning in related required courses and student performance on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-based clinical toxicology elective course that contained topics from 2 required courses, Pharmacology III and Pharmacotherapy II, was offered in the spring 2009 to second- and third-year pharmacy students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores on the Toxicology subsection of the PCOA of students enrolled in the elective were higher than those of students not enrolled (91.3% ± 4.1 vs. 67.2% ± 5.7). Enrollment in the elective was related to increased examination scores among Pharmacotherapy II students (89.5% ± 2.0 vs. 83.9% ± 1.8). Students indicated on course survey instruments that they were satisfied with the new elective offering.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A toxicology elective provided a clinically relevant, active-learning experience for pharmacy students that addressed a curricular need within the college and increased examination scores.
authors.affiliation: Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, 37601, USA. browsd03@etsu.edu
authors.forename: Stacy D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Brooks B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Creekmore
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004358:Drug Therapy; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology; D014116:Toxicology / Q000193:education*