Full-motion videos: Bringing abstract chemical concepts to life in the classroom

A set of full-motion videos utilizing two-dimensional images and representations of three-dimensional chemical structures was made using a software suite, the Molecular Operating Environment (MOE). The videos highlight the drug’s structure–activity relationship (SAR) and their corresponding receptor interactions. The full-motion video set was created for use as a supplemental teaching aid for a medicinal chemistry course. The literature describes using full-motion videos in undergraduate courses, such as organic chemistry and biochemistry; however, there is no demonstration of movies being employed in pharmacy chemistry-based courses such as medicinal chemistry. Anecdotal feedback and unsolicited student comments on teaching evaluations from pharmacy students directly indicated increased student understanding and comfort with the course content. Student feedback has motivated the authors to develop a future study to purposefully assess if there is a benefit to using the videos in comparison to static 2D diagrams as a supplement to the medicinal chemistry lectures.