Learning Pharmacology in Mexico: Laboratory Instruction

A steep decline has occurred in the number of hours devoted to basic sciences laboratory instruction in most medical schools. This trend seems to be inevitable because basic science departments in many medical schools are probably not capable of running an animal laboratory; hence, computer simulations have substituted live animals in medical laboratory learning. This article describes the laboratory program developed at our Pharmacology department. The laboratory manual contains a total of 33 computerized laboratory sessions; many of them are used to reinforce basic pharmacology concepts and principles, whereas others emphasize application of the scientific method to pharmacological and clinical problems. This program constitutes an effort for a better formative and less factual instruction to medical students.