The Science of Medicines (FutureLearn)

See each health condition through the eyes of the patient

Week by week you will study a new medicine and health area, starting by looking through the eyes of an affected patient. You will learn the mechanics of a disease and how it affects the world’s population. You will then delve into the science of the medicine to explore the medicine’s chemistry, how it works in the body and why it is formulated in a certain way to become the medicine you see on the pharmacy shelf.

Learn from a diverse team of experts

This course is designed by a team of experts who focus on improving education for pharmacy students at Monash University, Australia. As pharmacists and scientists they bridge the interface between science and the patient.

A valuable course for patients, careers and healthcare workers

The course will be particularly relevant for those who are living with one of the health conditions covered, but it is also extremely valuable for those who care either professionally or personally for people affected by the conditions, as it covers practical patient tips drawn from the understanding of the science.

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction

Week 2: Diabetes

Week 3: Heart Disease

Week 4: Pain

Week 5: Smoking

Week 6: Depression

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Describe the physiological impact of common medical conditions on the human body.

- Investigate the chemical structures of modern medicines.

- Explain how the chemical structures of medicines make them effective in treating specific medical conditions (pharmacology).

- Explore how the design, delivery and dosage of medicines influence their effectiveness (pharmaceutics).

- Discuss the human aspects of taking medicines, including side effects and addiction.

Who is the course for?

No previous knowledge is necessary. Being a course about pharmacy, we discuss a number of important chemistry concepts in the course. If you haven’t studied chemistry for a long time, don’t worry - supporting references will be provided for extra background where needed.