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Mathematics in Pharmacy: Improving Student Performance and Engagement

David S. Jones School of Pharmacy. Mathematics in Pharmacy: Improving Student Performance and Engagement. Background: Entry Profile of Pharmacy Students. High Academic Background (circa 435 tariff points) Requirements (AAB or ABB with an A in a fourth AS subject) Subjects required at A2

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Mathematics in Pharmacy: Improving Student Performance and Engagement

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  1. David S. Jones School of Pharmacy Mathematics in Pharmacy: Improving Student Performance and Engagement

  2. Background: Entry Profile of Pharmacy Students • High Academic Background (circa 435 tariff points) • Requirements (AAB or ABB with an A in a fourth AS subject) • Subjects required at A2 • Chemistry • At least one from Physics, Mathematics, Biology • One other A2 subject • Mathematics required at GCSE

  3. Mathematical Entry Profile of Pharmacy Students

  4. Mathematics in Pharmacy • Key Numeracy Skills/Algebra • Needed throughout the course • Assessed at entry to level 1 • 30% failure rate • Limited opportunity to address deficiencies • Examples include: • Rearrangement of equations • Calculation of doses/concentrations/molarity • Use of equations

  5. Mathematics in Pharmacy • Pharmaceutical Statistics • Needed throughout the course (but mostly in Level 4) • Assessed in the skills component in Level 1 • 30% failure rate • Limited opportunity to address deficiencies • Examined in levels 2 and 4

  6. Statistics in Pharmacy Levels 1 and 2 Level 4 Multiple hypothesis tests ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test Post hoc tests Multiple regression Logistic regression Epidemiology Introduction to Bayesian statistics • Probability and distributions • Central tendency/Variation • Confidence Intervals • Transformations • One sample parametric/non-parametric tests • Two sample parametric/non-parametric tests • Paired and unpaired • Chi-squared test • Linear regression

  7. Mathematics in Pharmacy • Logarithms • Base e • Other bases • Changing bases • Use of Log/Semi-log graph paper • Trigonometry • Basic details ranging through to calculus of trigonometry

  8. Mathematics in Pharmacy • Calculus • Key component of several scientific sub-disciplines • Pharmacokinetics • Chemical Stability • Population growth studies

  9. What effect does this have • Students navigate through the course to avoid mathematical topics • Some students leave QUB with a good degree but devoid of many skills that are required in clinical practice (research???)

  10. Sources of Problems to Pharmacy • Mathematics is not a specified subject at A level • Content of the Advanced/Advanced Subsidiary and GCSE courses • Modular design of the Advanced and Advanced Subsidiary courses

  11. Content of Secondary Level Mathematics Courses • GCSE • Gradual reduction in content over 20 years • Reduction in problem solving activities • Variation in standards across examining boards • Is the mathematical standard at GCSE level suitable for science based courses?

  12. Content of Secondary Level Mathematics Courses Advanced Subsidiary Advanced 2 Modular Subjects studied in isolation Different mathematical experiences for each student All students study C3 and C4 (usually) Third subject is usually M2 or S2 Reduction in content • Modular • Subjects studied in isolation • Different mathematical experiences for each student • All students study C1 and C2 • Third subject is usually M1 or S1 (Decision mathematics?) • Reduction in content

  13. Content of Courses and Pharmacy Needs • Key Numeracy Skills/Algebra • Covered in GCSE (in theory not practice) • Expanded depth through AS and A2 studies • Logarithms • Fundamentals • Covered in AS (in theory not practice) • Base e • Covered in A2 • Other bases and changing bases • Covered in A2

  14. Content of Courses and Pharmacy Needs • Trigonometry • Basic definitions provided at GCSE level • Calculus and use provided at A2 level • Calculus • Introduction provided at AS level • Expanded at A2 • More emphasis given to Differentiation • Applications are not taught or examined • By level 3 this knowledge has been forgotten

  15. Content of Courses and Pharmacy Needs • Statistics • Level 1 basic requirements are provided by S1 and S2 modules • Students are lacking in a basic understanding of the meaning and applications of the information studied • In first year assessments, some of the student who have failed the examination have completed the above modules

  16. Addressing Learning Needs in Pharmacy • Problems have been identified • Surveyed mathematical needs • Identification of how students most effectively learn mathematics • Summer 2011 • Generation of pdf descriptions of key mathematical topics • Accompanying podcasts and worked examples (Camtasia) • Provision of mathematical examples placed within a pharmaceutical context

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