title: Conception of Pharmacological Knowledge and Needs Amongst Nigerian Medical Students at Lagos State University College of Medicine: Implication for Future Biomedical Science in Africa.
abstract: In Nigeria, medical students are trained in more didactic environments than their counterparts in researchintensive academic medical centers. Their conception of pharmacology was thus sought. Students who are taking/have takenthe medical pharmacology course completed an 18-question survey within 10min by marking one/more choices fromalternatives. Instructions were: "Dear Participant, Please treat as confidential, give your true view, avoid influences, avoidcrosstalk, return survey promptly." Out of 301 students, 188 (62.46%) participated. Simple statistics showed: 61.3%respondents associated pharmacology with medicine, 24.9% with science, 16.8 % with industry, and 11.1% with government;32.8% want to know clinical pharmacology, 7.1% basic pharmacology, 6.7% pharmacotherapy, and 34.2% want a blend ofall three; 57.8% want to know clinical uses of drugs, 44.8% mechanisms of action, 44.4% side effects, and 31.1% differentdrugs in a group; 45.8% prefer to study lecturers' notes, 26.7% textbooks, 9.8% the Internet, and 2.7% journals; 46.7% usestandard textbooks, 11.5% revision texts, 2.66% advanced texts, and 8.4% no textbook; 40.4% study pharmacology to beable to treat patients, 39.1% to complete the requirements for MBBS degree, 8.9% to know this interesting subject, and 3.1%to make money. Respondents preferring aspects of pharmacology were: 42.7, 16, 16, and 10 (%) respectively for mechanismsof action, pharmacokinetics, side effects, and drug lists. Medical students' conception and need for pharmacology werebased on MBBS degree requirements; they lacked knowledge/interest in pharmacology as a science and may not be thepotential trusts for Africa's future pharmacology.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, 1-5, Oba Akinjobi Way, Ikeja, PMB 21266, Ikeja, GRA Lagos. theresaadebola@yahoo.com.
authors: Luther Agbonyegbeni
authors: LA
authors: Agaga
authors: Theresa Adebola
authors: TA
authors: John
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends*; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000639:trends*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires