Graduate qualities: Exploring problem solving in the applied pharmacotherapeutics curriculum at the University of South Australia

Abstract

Embedding graduate qualities or attributes, such as problem solving capacity, into program curricula requires explicit identification to students of opportunities for development and assessment of these qualities. In the University of South Australia Pharmacy program a multistage project was undertaken which firstly sought to identify student issues around problem solving ability. Secondly, in response to identified shortcomings, problem based learning was incorporated into applied pharmacotherapeutics courses. The third is the assessment of potential disadvantages to student subgroups such as non-English speaking and international students. Finally, assessment of whether students identified problem solving as an explicit process embedded in teaching methodology were undertaken. This paper reports on the successful incorporation of a problem based learning tutorial teaching modality into applied pharmacotherapeutics courses. No student subgroups were identified as being disadvantaged by the introduction of this approach.