How can we improve junior doctor prescribing?

The large number of medications available has complicated the learning of drug therapy

for medical students at a time when pharmacology training has been substantially

reduced. Attempts to remedy this include: improving the pharmaco-therapeutics curriculum;

interactive web-based learning and students developing a personal formulary.

The approach adopted by the University of Wollongong Medical School is to integrate

clinical pharmacology throughout the course, with the Student Preferred-drugs Formulary

linking pharmacology and common diseases. Evidence from other countries suggests

this should enhance prescribing by medical graduates.