Aspects of drug abuse

Natural sedative, stimulant, euphorizing or hallucinogenic agents have been known for thousands of years. Non-medical use of such agents as well as their abuse have always been present during the history of civilization. The border between abuse and medical use is sometimes very narrow. This elective course of the “Medicinal, epidemiological and social aspects of drug abuse” widens the view and the knowledge of future physicians based on scientific observations, data and results; may make them more open and sensitive to this issue. This is the only comprehensive subject in the medical curriculum up to now.

requirements

Science club - Intoduction to pharmacological research

The aim of the optional course is to rise the demand of following the recent literature in students. It also aims to improve the capability of critical evaluation and presentation of the information of the articles. To reach these aims, the students will present original articles.

The course will start with the review of the methods of searching original articles on the internet and ways of obtaining the full text version of the relevant papers. In addition, basics of short scientific presentation will be explained. Later on the students will present the papers independently. Tutors, i.e., researchers of the department, will help in selection, processing and presentation of the articles. The audience (researchers at the department and fellow students) will evaluate and improve the mode and quality of presentation. Pharmacological methods, applied at the department, will be demonstrated during the semester.

The course will be available for the Hungarian, English and German students of the Basic-, Preclinical- and Clinical modules from the 3rd semester. The language of the course is English.

We believe that our effort is highly fit to the new, state-of-the-art training approach of the Faculty of General Medicine, which places great emphasis on students gaining skills in following the literature, interpreting it correctly and acquiring appropriate presentation and discussion skills during their undergraduate training.

requirements

Registration to these courses can be done through the Neptun system and the learning materials are available for registered students on the Semmelweis University’s Moodle system.