Factors modifying duration of drug action: a practical for large undergraduate classes on limited laboratory space,...

A desperate need for health professionals is answered by yearly increases in university student admissions in many developing countries. Yet economic constraints dictate that subventions for teaching and research remain static or even decrease as student populations increase. Practical teaching, for example in pharmacology, is susceptible to inadequate funding because of the capital and recurrent expenditure needed to procure and maintain laboratories, staff, animals, instruments and chemicals. Class demonstrations, although they provide a partial answer to the problem, are beset with a number of disadvantages. Provision of good training on low funds demands ingenuity to modify teaching/learning processes while still achieving the desired objectives. This paper illustrates such a procedure by describing the logistics of a practical class on 'Factors modifying duration of drug action' to large classes of undergraduate medical and pharmacy students, on limited laboratory space, staff and budget'. A sample laboratory result is included.