The University of British Columbia

About the Educator

	E-mail: averma@mail.ubc.ca Phone: 604-822-7228 Fax: 604-822-3035

Training

Current Position

Major Awards

About The Course

Phar 498 (CAPS)

This course is the third of four courses in Cases in Pharmaceutical Sciences (CAPS III), each of which is designed to integrate knowledge and skills acquired in previous and concurrent courses.  The overall goal of Pharmacy 498 or CAPS III is to provide 3rd year Pharmacy students with the opportunity to integrate and apply relevant information/knowledge acquired in other courses (i.e. 3rd year as well as from previous years) in order to resolve patient-specific problems (presented as complex, real-life paper cases).  An important aspect of this course is allowing the students to improve their critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making skills.  Students use a systematic and comprehensive approach to work-up their cases, integrate knowledge from other courses using evidence-based approach to identify drug-and non-drug related issues, and develop thought processes and pharmacy care plans to resolve the issues identified.  Cases have been developed to allow students to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to practice in a patient-focused care.  An important area of this course is the use of evidence-based medicine to resolve patient’s drug-therapy problems.  This is an important concept, which is taught and expected for the resolution of all cases.

Projects

Oral examination of 3rd year students:

An oral examination is conducted in December and April in order to improve third year students’ ability to interpret patient specific data, identify drug-therapy problems, make appropriate recommendations, rationalize those recommendations, and implement a patient specific monitoring plan.  Furthermore, the exam evaluates students’ critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making, and communication skills.  This oral examination consists of a small case scenario, which each student works through, and then responds to a number of questions asked by two examiners.  The oral examination allows students’ to enhance their learning experience and demonstrate proficiency in the skills that will allow them to be more competent and confident in their clerkships, OSCEs, at the end of fourth year, and in practice, after they graduate.

Interprofessional 4th year elective:

presently being designed

Selected Publications

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