FRM2000 – Drugs and How They Work Part II
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course covers medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, cellular biology, pharmacology and physiology, all presented in an integrated format with emphasis on the chemistry of drugs and how they work. The main focus of this course is the various mediator systems in the human body and how drugs influence their activity.
Learning outcome
After completing the course we expect your competence to include the following:
- to be able to evaluate structure-activity relations and molecular mode of actions for the main groups of drugs.
- know synthesis and biosynthesis of drug substances to be able to understand the relationship between structure and activity.
- have a deep knowledge in the most common types of mode of actions for drugs, especially in relation to receptors and signal transduction.
- know how a drug is taken up in the body, transported to target and eliminated from the body through excretion and metabolism.
- to be able to see the connection between the interaction of the drug and the target, the cellular effect of this interaction and physiological consequences.
- know test systems to study the effects of drugs, and be able to do laboratory experiments to evaluate drug effects under supervision.
- to be able to effectively communicate and provide information about molecular mode of actions for drugs to other health personnel and drug users.
Admission
The course is only available to students enrolled at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Oslo.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
In order to participate in this course, FRM1000 and FRM1010 must be passed and all manditory activities from FRM1030, FRM1040 and FRM1050 must be approved.
In order to sit for the exam: FRM1000, FRM1010, FRM1030, FRM1040 and FRM1050 must be passed.
Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)
There are compulsory HSE courses at the beginning of the first semester. For students commencing their program from the autumn semester 2015 the following courses are mandatory:
- HMS0501 - Safety and Physical Environment
- HMS0502 - Positive Learning Environment
- HMS0507 - Fire Safety
In addition to this you will have to complete HMS0503 - Laboratory Safety and HMS0506 Patient clinic Safety for participation in Laboratory and clinic-courses in the program.
You will need to provide documentation that you have passed HMS0501, HMS0502, HMS0503 HMS0506 and HMS0507 when you attend the first mandatory lab.
For students who commenced the program from the Autumn semester 2012 up til and including the spring semester 2015 the following courses are mandatory:
- MNHMS0015 - Introduction to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) (discontinued) or HMS0501 - Safety and Physical Environment and HMS0502 - Positive Learning Environment and HMS0507 - Fire Safety.
- MNHMS0010LS - Introduction to Laboratory Safety (discontinued) or MNHMS0020LS - In-Depth Laboratory Safety (discontinued) or HMS0503 - Laboratory Safety
- MNHMS0015FS - Introduction to Field Safety (discontinued) or HMS0504 Field Safety.
For more information on the HSE courses and transitional arrangements:
http://www.mn.uio.no/english/studies/courses/hse-courses.html
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with FRM2000R – Drugs and How They Work Part II (discontinued)
Teaching
Lectures, group work, and laboratory assignments.
Laboratory reports (which are turned in for corrections and grading) and group work (which is not turned in) are to be collected in a portfolio. In order for the portfolio to be approved, it needs to be complete and the laboratory work and contents of the portfolio need to demonstrate that the student has acquired the knowledge and skills required. The portfolio needs to be approved in order for the student to be eligible to take the written exam.
Inactivity and / or excessive absences in compulsory education means that the student does not receive final assessment / examination.
As the teaching involves laboratory and/or field work, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance. Read about your insurance cover as a student.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Six hour written exam, which is graded from A – F.
Examination support material
As of 1 August, 2016, the use of own calculators is no longer permitted. Casio FX-991EX calculators are handed out to all exam candidates at the beginning of the exam.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.