Assessment of Bangladeshi Interns' Knowledge of Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Prescribing.

ABSTRACT

Every medical graduate must have the intention to prescribe rationally. It is pharmacology which teaches rational of prescribing correct drug in undergraduate medical course. Therefore many eminent medical educationists believe that pharmacology is the most essential part of the medical curriculum. Medical graduates join as interns in their respective teaching hospital immediately after graduation. Although interns work is usually under the supervision of a senior consultant but there are occasions, when they need to make their own decision. Again drug market in Bangladesh, like many other countries, is rapidly expanding. Henceforth, interns’ are sometime confused to choose a drug from therapeutic choices. This study was conducted with the intention to provide some light about the knowledge of pharmacology among the Bangladeshi interns. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on Interns (n=191) of six medical schools of Bangladesh. Validated instrument was used to uptake the data. These medical schools are both government and private but Bangladesh has unique curriculum for all medical schools. Out of these 191 participants 81 (42%) rated pharmacology knowledge is good, while another 77 (40%) had average understanding. As high as 80% (152) intern population feel that undergraduate training has prepared them to prescribe safely. One hundred seventeen (61%) interns have already observed cases of adverse drug reactions in their short active clinical life. Although it is a cross sectional study with its limitations, has identified that pharmacology and therapeutics course curriculum is not enough to produce safe prescribers.