Abstract:

The service-learning project (ApS) "Education on the rational use of medicines and the risks of self-medication and drug abuse in the youth population" is based on the detection of problems related to the use of medicines and drugs of abuse in high school students of Coslada. Moreover, this project aims to design strategies for health promotion and awareness of the importance of rational use of medicines away from self-medication.

The aim of this project is to enhance the learning and experience of pharmacy students through collaborative and team learning, allowing them to acquire competencies in pharmacology and toxicology subjects, and in information and communication technologies (ICT), thus improving their professional growth. Its development has been carried out by 14 teachers and 44 pharmacy students in four high schools (six classroom-140 students aged 14-16) in collaboration with the City Council of Coslada.

The project will be developed in a mixed way, through the design and application of an online questionnaire and three theoretical-practical workshops (18 in total) to train young people about medicines and drugs of abuse. This Project covers targets 3.4., 3.5., and 3.7. of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in order to increase the quality of life and social welfare of this group. This activity is integrated into the teaching of the compulsory subjects of General Pharmacology (3rd year), Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy (4th year), both annual and 9 ECTS, and Toxicology (5th year, semester, 6 ECTS credits) of the Degree in Pharmacy and the Double Degree in Pharmacy and Human Nutrition of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). This is as a very effective learning strategy to deepen the subject and to develop the acquired competences through the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired, to consolidate the students' learning and to acquire transversal skills and competences for their future role as pharmacists adapting to the needs and social reality of the environment.

Keywords:

Service-learning, pharmacology, teaching strategies, innovation.