Abstract:

The subject of General Pharmacology (3rd year in the Degree in Pharmacy) has 6 ECTS of theory classes and 3 ECTS of practical classes. The current pandemic situation due to the Covid-19 disease has required adaptations of the face-to-face practical classes to guarantee all the health and safety measures established by law. Regarding theory, classes have turned from face-to-face to remote learning. On the other hand, practical classes continue to be face-to-face, but, the ratio of students has been reduced from 36 to 12 students per classroom, and the duration of classes from 3 hours to 2 and a half hours (the remaining half hour is to disinfect the classroom). This has meant that the content of the practical classes has been adapted to this new schedule. Moreover, considering that pharmacology is a branch of science that studies the therapeutic value and/or potential toxicity of drugs on biological systems, this program of practices has also been updated to include important aspects about current pharmacological treatment for Covid-19 disease and its complications. The aim of this research is to know the opinions of the students about this new model of face-to-face practical classes and the inclusion of content related to drugs for treating Covid-19. Likewise, we wanted to know their opinion about face-to-face General Pharmacology (practical classes) within the framework of virtual General Pharmacology (theory classes). A voluntary and anonymous survey has been carried out through Google forms with 7 questions to a total of 52 students (81% female and 19% men, 20-21 aged).

Our results can be divided in three groups:
a) practices length and number of students per group;
b) face-to-face teaching; and
c) updating contents with Covid-19 topic.

Respect to the new schedule, 81% of students totally agree or agree with the length of the practices. It is notorious the consensus (98% of students totally agree or agree) on the convenience of small groups with 12 students. Furthermore, 85% of the students affirm that face-to-face learning of practical classes has increased their interest in the subject. Finally, 88% of them fully agree or agree with the inclusion of topical subjects such as Covid-19. We can conclude that face-to-face practices lasting 2 and a half hours, with small groups of 12 students in which hot topics are dealt, improve the motivation and learning of the students.

Keywords:

Pharmacology, practical classes, face-to-face, Covid-19.