Abstract:

The subject Physiology and Pathophysiology III (PP-III) is taught in the third year of the Pharmacy Degree, after the subjects PP-I and PP-II, both of the second year. The organic systems are distributed among the three subjects, so that PP-III addresses respiratory, urinary, endocrine and reproductive systems. A teaching team made up of professors of various subjects of the Degree of Pharmacy at the University de Barcelona participates in a multidisciplinary project with the aim of reinforcing the transversely of subjects and in order that the students consolidate and expand knowledge through different clinical cases of broad social interest such as alcoholism and smoking. In addition, it is intended to promote the integration of the contents developed in each subject with knowledge acquired in other subjects taught before in the degree. In the subject PP-III, these clinical cases are incorporated in the form of seminars and/or self-directed activities which are developed along the different organic systems taught in the subject. It should be emphasized that the contents developed in the clinical cases constitute part of the evaluation of the subject. The overall objective of this experience is to determine the usefulness of this teaching tool in the PP-III subject, through both quantitative (qualifications obtained) and qualitative (student assessment surveys) indicators. The results show that the application of transversal clinical cases is a high valuable teaching tool for students that has allowed them to improve the learning of the diseases related to alcohol and tobacco consumption. Moreover, these clinical cases have helped the students to consolidate and expand the physiology contents, as well as integrate contents of other subjects with the own ones of Physiology and Pathophysiology III.

Keywords:

Clinical cases, integrative knowledge, pathophysiology.