INTRODUCTIONPharmacology is a dynamic subject and one of most evolving branches in medicine. As a subject, included in the second year (III, IV and V semester) of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum in India. It serves as a foundation stone for all the physicians in clinical practice. The subject of Pharmacology embraces pharmacy,experimental and clinical sciences. 1 In the third semester students are acquainted with patients and they begin to understand clinical aspects of diseases.2 Teaching pharmacology during this phase is a challenge. 3 The objective of pharmacology teaching is to make undergraduate medical students capable to take rational therapeutic decisions in clinical scenarios. 2Conventionally in medical schools, pharmacology teaching is lecture centered on acquiring theoretical knowledge about drugs, the medical student is not trained adequately for therapeutic pursuits. 4 The purpose of teaching pharmacology to medical students is to train them on rational and scientific basis of prescribing medicines in therapeutics. 5ABSTRACT Background: Pharmacology is one of the most important subjects in medical curriculum. It is basis of medical science and the foundation of treatment. The applied aspect forms the basis of clinical rational therapeutics. Methods: A cross-sectional study among 100 undergraduate medical students was undertaken after Institutional Ethics committee permission. Questionnaire was prepared from previous studies and validated by experts. These were administered to the participants after receiving their due consent. Results: The mean age of students was 21.31±2.93 years. There were 72% females and 28% males. The average rating given for Pharmacology subject was 7.95±1.16. Females (8.38±1.24) rated Pharmacology subject more than males (7.51±1.09). 62% liked combination of LCD and Blackboard for teaching. 34% felt group discussion was the ideal Teaching learning method for learning Pharmacology. The most interesting topic was General Pharmacology (31%) and ANS (45%) was the most difficult subject to understand. The most important topic in practical's was 25% prescription writing and least was experimental graphs (2%). Preferred source to learn Pharmacology was combination of textbook and lecture (42%). 81% students liked integrated teaching of pharmacology with other subjects. 93% felt there should be more use of audiovisual aids, 91% wanted more of clinical pharmacology and 88% wanted more of group discussions. 91% felt calculation of pharmacokinetic parameters is clinically applicable. Conclusions: There is need to develop innovative teaching learning methods and include more of clinical pharmacology in the undergraduate pharmacology subject.

Introduction: In 21st century, Physicians has to deal with both technical and emotional component associated with doctor patient relationship, technical aspects are taught but emotional aspects are not taught. Aim: To evaluate Emotional Intelligence (EI) in undergraduate medical students of different academic years. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 undergraduate medical students from medical college and tertiary care hospital for two years from January 2018 to February 2020. Demographic information was collected on separate annexure. EI in the study was assessed using emotional quotient self-assessment checklist devised by Sterrett. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire was tested. Emotional quotient self-assessment checklist consists of 30 statements, five each for the six areas. Each question was based on a 5-point Likert scale scoring from 1 to 5 (virtually never=1 to virtually always=5). Results: Out of 200 students, only 16 (8%) could correctly describe about EI. Out of total, 89 (44.5%) felt EI very important, 92 (46%) students felt important while 185 (92.5%) students desired to learn about EI. The EI score in Ist year MBBS was 103.45±13.73 which increased in IInd year MBBS (108.02±12.2) and had statistically significant increase in IIIrd year (111.74±13.86) and IVth year (115.02±14.79). Empathy and motivation were the EI components that decreased from Ist year MBBS to IVth year. Empathy component negatively correlated with social competency component. Conclusion: Emotional Intelligence (EI) has become a crucial element to be inculcated in a competency based curriculum for all academic years. There is a need of EI training in medical curriculum.

Background: The risk factors for patients with cardiovascular diseases and gastrointestinal diseases overlap. Majority of the patients have both problems coexistent. Thus, there is need of medicine that can be used for both the diseases.Methods: Rats weighing 150-250gm of either gender were procured for the study from central animal house. The animals were divided into 7 groups. Control group (Distilled water 2ml), diclofenac sodium (12mg/kg), diltiazem (10mg/kg), diltiazem (30mg/kg), diltiazem (60mg/kg), ranitidine (8mg/kg), ranitidine (16mg/kg). After six hours, scarification of animals was done by cervical dislocation. Size of ulcer, number of gastric ulcers, mean gastric irritancy index, ulcer index, and ulcer scoring were the parameters that were studied.Results: Diltiazem in dose of 10, 30 and 60 mg/kg showed reduction in all parameters in dose dependent manner. Diltiazem (60mg/kg) showed marked reduction in mean diameter of ulcerated surface area (0.46±0.36), number of ulcers (4.10±2.05), size of ulcers (1.07±0.48), total mucosal surface area (7.60±1.38), and total ulcerated surface area (0.263±0.3). Diltiazem (60mg/kg) showed significant reduction of the parameters as compared to other doses of Diltiazem. Also, diltiazem (60mg/kg) was comparable to Ranitidine in all the parameters. Diltiazem (60mg/kg) also showed reduction in average number of ulcers, ulcer index, mean gastric irritancy index and ulcer scoring as compared to diclofenac sodium (12mg/kg).Conclusions: Diltiazem has shown to have ulcer prevention property; this can be useful in patients having concomitant cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems.

Background: India is expected to bear the burden of world’s greatest increase of diabetes population. This burden needs to be considered in terms of costs.Methods: Cross-sectional study was done in type 2 diabetes mellitus 100 patients that attended Medicine OPD. Prior to enrollment Institutional Ethics Committee permission was taken. Written Informed consent was taken. Demographic information related to Education, Occupation and Income was taken down. Also Information related to diagnostic tests and medications were documented. Inclusion criterion were 18-70 years of either gender diagnosed by Physicians in OPD as type 2 diabetes, willing to participate and have followed in OPD for at least one year. The Exclusion criterion was Critically ill or unconscious patients and Pregnant women. Direct and indirect costs were calculated.Results: The average age was 56.31±10.50 years. The average fasting blood glucose was 120.65±22.70mg/dl. The average cost per month for investigations was 159.74±128.06. Annual visit to OPD was 13.06±7.35. Time loss per visit was 5.62±1.29 hours and of accompanying person was 6.55±3.87 hours. There were 2 from Lower and 63 from Upper Lower socioeconomic class. There were 41 patients having diabetic complications. The indirect cost was around 5838.51 and direct cost was around 19925. Total cost per annum per patient was around 32361.27 INR.Conclusions: There is need for strategies to reduce the cost burden. There is also needed to design financial systems for diabetes related nationwide health programs.

Background: Medicines had brought revolution in which diseases are treated and controlled. There are several examples in which using nonstandard medicines had led to death of many patients.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire based study in 200 undergraduate medical students, 150 medical students and 50 interns in a tertiary care hospital. There will be 50 each from II MBBS, III MBBS, IV MBBS and Interns.Results: The mean age was 23.68+1.64 years. In the elements of Pharmacovigilance, 5 students feel it is only detection, 4 for assessment, 1 for understanding, 5 for prevention and 142 (II:22, III:41, IV:36, Intern:43) all of the above elements while 43 don’t know about the elements of Pharmacovigilance. The factors that discourage from reporting ADR, among this did not know how to report was statistically significant compared to other factors. In students view on problems faced while reporting ADR, among them unawareness of the need to report an ADR and lengthy paper work were statistically significant. (69%) feel internet is the best reference aid to gather information on ADR to new medicines while (39.5%) prefer text books.Conclusions: The learning of PV should start as early as possible in medical school and should be frequently held to increase the Knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare professionals regarding ADR’s monitoring.