Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Course Descriptions
GMS 6551 – Fundamentals of Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics*
Credit Hours: 1
Offered: Spring, summer and fall
This course covers the basic principles of pharmacology and therapeutics in the context of medicine and biomedical science. Through online lectures and problem sets, students are provided with the foundational knowledge they will build upon throughout the remainder of the graduate program.
*It is recommended that students take GMS 6551 during their first semester.
GMS 6520 – Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics I: The Nervous System
Credit Hours: 2
Offered: Spring, summer and fall
This course covers the fundamentals of small molecule drugs and therapeutic biologics that target the nervous system, including alcohol, painkillers and psychological medications. Upon completing this course, students are prepared for more advanced studies of pharmacology and therapeutics in the context of human physiology and pathophysiology.
GMS 6530 – Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics II: Cardiovascular, Renal and Respiratory Systems
Credit Hours: 2
Offered: Spring, summer and fall
This course focuses on drugs and biologics that target the cardiovascular, respiratory and renal systems, devoting particular attention to medications used to treat heart failure. Students gain an understanding of the diversity of small molecule drugs and the mechanisms by which they target the systems of the body covered in this course.
GMS 6531 – Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics III: Endocrine, Musculoskeletal, GI and Integumentary Systems
Credit Hours: 2
Offered: Spring, summer and fall
This course covers the fundamentals of drugs and biologics that target the endocrine, musculoskeletal, reproductive and gastrointestinal systems. Students study parathyroid, gastrointestinal and dermatological drugs used to treat or control disorders of the human body, among other topics. Successful completion of this program, which includes problem sets, research assignments and a final exam, instills students with an understanding of the diversity of these substances and their mechanisms of action.
GMS 6540 – Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics IV: Cancer, Antimicrobial and Antiparasitic Agents
Credit Hours: 2
Offered: Spring, summer and fall
This course covers cancers and microbial and parasitic infections, specifically the fundamentals of small molecule drugs and therapeutic biologics and their actions in the treatment of these conditions. Students explore chemotherapy, vaccines and over-the-counter cold and flu medicines and the actions by which they act in the body, including the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of these agents.
GMS 6510 – Pharmacology of Cannabis, Tobacco and Vaping
Credit Hours: 2
Offered: Spring, summer and fall
Dedicated to the study of some of the most popular medicinal and recreational drugs, this course looks at the effects of cannabis, tobacco and their derivatives on the human body. Students are instilled with objective, scientific knowledge of the use of these substances, which is crucial given their common occurrence in our society. This course is especially useful for medical professionals and researchers as well as individuals who consume these products themselves.
