Issues of Toxicology in the Undergraduate Training of Pharmaceutical Profile Specialists

Abstract

The need for basic training in toxicology of students of pharmaceutical universities and departments of toxicology is justified. The experience of teaching toxicology and medical protection to students of the St. Petersburg State Chemical Pharmaceutical Academy was analyzed. Academic teaching staff were trained in the methodology of teaching toxicology, and a participated in the preparation of the all-Russian textbook «Toxicology and Medical Protection» (2016) and three tutorials for students of medical and pharmaceutical universities. It is shown that in accordance with the current Federal State Educational Standard of the third generation, toxicology issues are included in the curriculum of a complex discipline «Life Safety. Emergency Medicine» as a stand-alone module. Students study toxicology in the fifth year having received a good basic training in medical, biological, and professional disciplines in previous years. For realization of cognitive and creative activity of students in the educational process, modern educational technologies are used which make it possible to improve the quality of teaching and to use school time more efficiently. The potential of using algorithmic workbooks, interactive forms of training, test control, case-method for facilitating the perception of theoretical knowledge and improving the quality of practical skills development is demonstrated. Results of the anonymous questionnaire survey, in which 153 of 198 students who studied toxicology and medical protection in the autumn semester of the 2017/2018 academic year participated, are reported. It was shown that more than 80% of the students surveyed are convinced of the need to study toxicology during the undergraduate training of specialists of pharmaceutical profile and positively assessed the methodology of teaching toxicology that is performed at the St. Petersburg State Chemical Pharmaceutical Academy.