How to Use Medication Charts to Study Drugs | From a Pharmacist
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I’ve been in the healthcare field for over 8 years now and one of the most common statements I hear from healthcare professional students is “How do I study medications…there are too many to learn?!”
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Today, I’m addressing this question from my years of experience – as a former pharmacy student, pharmacy resident, mentor, preceptor and for the last 2+ years as an Assistant Professor at a School of Pharmacy. Whether you are a pharmacy student reading this or a MD, DO, Nursing, PA, NP, etc. student reading this – my goal is to instill confidence in your medication knowledge. Read on and comment below with your thoughts.
If you’re looking for Study Strategies to get you through Pharmacy (or other healthcare) School – head over to this blog post discussing my Top 5 Strategies.
How to Use Medication Charts to Study Drugs:
- Pick a topic
- Gather the medications you have learned related to this topic
- Divide the medications into drug-classes – usually based on mechanism of action
- Create a category with the drug-class: what is the same within the class – this could be mechanism of action (MOA), indications, and side effects (SE) or adverse drug reactions (ADRs)
- Now list out each medication within that drug-class
- Consider including: generic name, brand name, dosing/frequency, pharmacokinetic (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) properties, SE or ADRs that are different than the class as a whole, and other comments that may include Clinical Pearls related the medication or how it differs from the drug class
- Color code this chart (if desired)
- Print or save electronically and begin studying!
Further Steps to Consider:
- Make flashcards (on paper or electronically) to study information from your medication chart
- Try a technique from my previous blog post and print a blank or partially blank medication chart and attempt to fill it in from memory
- Have a family member, friend or study group peer take the chart and ask you random questions from it. See how well you can answer. Also assess your pronunciation of drug names during this verbal knowledge test.
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- 5 Ways to Improve Study Habits
- 5 Tips for Staying Focused while Studying
- How to Use Medication Charts to Study Drugs
Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP is the CEO of Clarify, Simplify, Align and Host of The Burnout Doctor Podcast. Dr. Louie uses her signature Burnout Doctor Method to coach burned out pharmacists & professionals to simplify because work-life balance is a LIE. Align work into your life & break free from people pleasing, perfectionism and thrive in life on YOUR TERMS.