Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Map the pharmacology of two drug classes in depth
2–3 weeks (building maps)
Select two major drug classes from your curriculum or clinical area (e.g. ACE inhibitors + beta blockers, or SSRIs + antipsychotics). For each class, build a pharmacology reference map covering: mechanism of action at the receptor/molecular level, major clinical indications, contraindications and cautions, common adverse effects and their mechanisms, key drug interactions (pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic), and monitoring requirements. This is knowledge organisation to prepare for the case analysis milestones.
Proof required
Submit your pharmacology maps for both classes. Include a note on your primary reference source for each map.
What gets checked
- Mechanism of action is described at the molecular/receptor level — 'lowers blood pressure' is an effect, not a mechanism.
- Drug interactions section distinguishes pharmacokinetic interactions (affecting absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) from pharmacodynamic interactions (additive effects at receptor level).
- Adverse effects are linked to their mechanism — 'ACE inhibitors cause cough because...' not just 'ACE inhibitors cause cough'.
Common mistakes
- Confusing mechanism of action with clinical effect — a common error that becomes apparent in case Q&A.
- Adverse effects listed without mechanistic explanation — memorised lists without understanding.
- Drug interactions section limited to those on the common drug interaction checker without understanding why they interact.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the student to explain one drug-drug interaction mechanistically — 'you shouldn't use them together' is not sufficient.
- Ask them to describe the mechanism of one adverse effect — tests whether mechanisms were learned, not just listed.
- Check that both classes are substantially different (not two ACE inhibitor subtypes).
Analyse two clinical pharmacology cases
1–2 weeks
Work through two published clinical cases involving pharmacological decisions relevant to your chosen drug classes — prescribing decisions, adverse drug reactions, or drug interactions. For each case, write a structured analysis: what pharmacological principles were at play, how the pharmacology explains the clinical presentation, and what a clinician would need to consider in managing the pharmacology. Your analysis applies pharmacological reasoning — it does not make prescribing recommendations for real patients.
Proof required
Submit two case analyses (1–2 pages each) with case source cited, pharmacological principles explicitly named, and a one-paragraph reflection on the limits of your pharmacological reasoning that the cases exposed.
What gets checked
- Pharmacological principles named in each case are specific (e.g. 'competitive antagonism at the beta-1 receptor') not generic ('the drug blocks the receptor').
- Clinical presentation is linked to pharmacology mechanistically, not just described.
- Reflection identifies a genuine gap — where the case required knowledge you didn't have.
Common mistakes
- Case analyses that describe what happened clinically without engaging with the pharmacological mechanism.
- Choosing cases that only involve your best-known drug class — breadth is required.
- Reflection that is positive rather than gap-identifying — a student who finds no limits in their pharmacological reasoning hasn't engaged with difficult cases.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the student to explain the mechanism of the key pharmacological event in one case aloud — tests whether the analysis reflects genuine understanding.
- Check that both cases involve the drug classes from Milestone 1 — not unrelated pharmacology.
- Ask what they would look up before writing the analysis if they did it again — reveals the gap they identified.
Pass a live pharmacology examiner Q&A
1 week (Q&A preparation) + session
Sit a 30-minute live pharmacology Q&A with a qualified examiner — a pharmacist, prescriber, or pharmacology academic. The session covers your two drug classes and the case analyses. Question types must include: mechanism questions, adverse effect questions, and clinical decision questions (what would you consider before prescribing X in this scenario?). Clinical decision questions should be presented as 'what factors would a clinician consider?' — not as actual prescribing decisions. Pass = fewer than 3 factual errors on mechanisms and ability to reason through at least one novel drug interaction scenario.
Proof required
Submit a written session record countersigned by the examiner: date, duration, examiner credentials, topics covered, and explicit pass/not-yet-pass assessment. Examiner must be a registered pharmacist, prescriber, or pharmacology academic.
What gets checked
- Examiner is qualified as a pharmacist, prescriber, or pharmacology academic — not a fellow student.
- Session covers both drug classes and at least one clinical decision scenario.
- Examiner assessment is explicit — 'pass' or 'not yet pass' with one sentence of rationale.
Common mistakes
- Q&A restricted to the specific cases analysed — the examiner should introduce at least one scenario outside the prepared material.
- Clinical decision framing collapsed into prescribing advice — the student should describe factors to consider, not issue prescriptions.
- Examiner without pharmacological credentials — peer review is not sufficient for pharmacology competence verification.
Resources
Foundationstart here
What a verifier looks for
- Verify examiner credentials — pharmacist registration number, prescribing qualification, or academic position must be present.
- Confirm the session included a novel drug interaction scenario not from the case analyses.
- Ask what the hardest question was and whether the student got it right.
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