title: Evaluation of impact of teaching clinical pharmacology and rational therapeutics to medical undergraduates and interns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out the impact of teaching clinical pharmacology and rational therapeutics (CPT) to medical undergraduates (UGs) and interns.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted on three UGs batches and interns using two pretested validated structured questionnaires, modified from the work of Tobaiqy et al. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. ANOVA and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. The value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 379 UGs and 96 interns participated in this study. Mean knowledge score of interns was significantly reduced as compared to UGs (P < 0.0001). A significant increase in confidence for unsupervised prescribing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (99%), oral rehydration salt, iron salts was perceived among interns as compared to UGs (P < 0.05). However, 63.5% confessed problems in selection of drugs, drug-drug interactions, prescribing in special patient population. Although they were confident prescribing fixed dose combination for adult patients (89.5%), majority were hesitant to prescribe opioids (77%), steroids (76%), vaccines (75%), and antihypertensives (62%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The theoretical CPT teaching transfers knowledge to UGs; however, it is not retained in internship and does not adequately prepare interns to prescribe safe and rational drugs.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors: Mira K
authors: MK
authors: Desai
authors: Department of Pharmacology, B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors: Jigar R
authors: JR
authors: Panchal
authors: Department of Pharmacology, B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors: Samdih
authors: S
authors: Shah
authors: Department of Epidemiology Johns Hopkines Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors: Geetha
authors: G
authors: Iyer
keywords: Clinical pharmacology teaching; interns; medical undergraduates