Introduction
The Department of Pharmacology at the University Medical and Dental College (UMDC) is a leading academic and clinical department delivering education, training, and research in pharmacology and therapeutics. The department plays a central role in undergraduate, postgraduate, and postgraduate clinical training, with a clear emphasis on safe prescribing, rational therapeutics, and evidence-based clinical decision-making.
In addition to its teaching role, the department is actively engaged in systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and clinical guideline development, aligned with international best practices. Academic work within the department contributes to medication-related clinical pathways, prescribing frameworks, and decision-support approaches, consistent with standards adopted within global healthcare systems.
The department maintains a strong academic identity in clinical pharmacology, women’s health, endocrinology, cardiovascular pharmacology, patient safety, and digital and AI-enabled health research, supported by active national and international collaborations.
Vision & Mission
Vision
- To be recognised as a centre of excellence in pharmacology education, clinical training, and evidence-informed guideline development.
Mission
The department is committed to:
- Delivering academically rigorous and clinically relevant pharmacology education.
- Integrating pharmacological science with real-world therapeutic decision-making.
- Advancing systematic reviews, clinical guidelines, and prescribing frameworks that inform safe patient care.
- Preparing graduates for leadership roles in clinical practice, academia, research, and health systems.
Objectives
The Department of Pharmacology aims to:
- Deliver high-quality pharmacology and therapeutics education across MBBS, BDS, MPhil, PhD, and FCPS programmes.
- Develop competence in rational prescribing, pharmacovigilance, and medication safety.
- Lead and contribute to systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and guideline development relevant to clinical practice.
- Align pharmacology teaching and research with national and international clinical guidelines, including NHS-informed prescribing standards.
- Support postgraduate clinical and academic training aligned with CPSP, HEC, and international regulatory expectations.
Facilities
The Department of Pharmacology is supported by state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, including:
- Dedicated lecture theatres and demonstration rooms with advanced audio-visual systems.
- Fully equipped pharmacology laboratories supporting experimental, analytical, and demonstration-based learning.
- Research infrastructure for clinical pharmacology, guideline development, and evidence synthesis, including facilities for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and clinical decision-support research.
- Access to institutional digital libraries, international journals, clinical databases, and guideline repositories.
- Resources supporting collaboration on Global prescribing pathways, treatment algorithms, and patient safety frameworks.
Pharmacology for MBBS Students
Pharmacology for MBBS students is delivered using an integrated, clinically oriented approach, with explicit linkage to current treatment guidelines and prescribing standards. Teaching focuses on:
- Core principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.
- Adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, and medication errors.
- Rational prescribing informed by clinical guidelines and evidence-based pathways.
- Therapeutic decision-making aligned with real-world healthcare systems.
Pharmacology for BDS Students
Pharmacology teaching for BDS students integrates dental therapeutics with evidence-based prescribing guidance, ensuring safe medication use in dental practice and medically complex patients.
Our Commitmen
The Department of Pharmacology is committed to maintaining high academic standards, innovation in teaching, and leadership in evidence-informed practice.
The department:
- Actively conducts systematic reviews and evidence syntheses relevant to pharmacology and therapeutics.
- Contributes to the development of clinical guidelines, prescribing frameworks, and decision-support tools, aligned with NHS and international standards.
- Integrates guideline-based prescribing and patient safety principles across undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
- Supports academic and clinical trainees in understanding how evidence translates into real prescribing decisions.