Development and implementation of an objective assessment system of the free course on applied pharmacology of the year 2007

Abstract

Assessment as a tool for measuring the teaching-learning process is a complex issue that has been subject to permanent debate. Teachers should be trained in this respect, besides debating and developing assessment tools that are valid, reliable, acceptable and economical.

Methodology: the Free Course on Applied Pharmacology employs the Good Prescription Guide in order to develop abilities in the rational use of medicines. The condition of regular student is attained by passing a group test in the final days if the intensive five-week course. This test consists in solving two clinical cases (a simple one and a complex one) following the six steps of the rational therapeutic procedure. To assess this test, a graded and objective tool was developed, which was named “Guide Table” (see Table 1) and that was aimed at establishing priorities in the predominant pathologies that had been previously dealt with in the curricular group activities (practical exercises). Acceptance by students was confirmed by means of an end-of-course survey which allowed them to grade it as excellent, very good, good, regular or bad.