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Clinical Pharmacologist recognised for innovative teaching
Author: Mandi Barnard
Published: 27/07/2016

Dr Eric Decloedt of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology received the award as Educator of the Year in recognition of his contributions to excellence, expertise and demonstrable achievement in pharmacology education. He received this prestigious award from the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (SASBCP).

Decloedt is the coordinator of undergraduate clinical pharmacology teaching at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) of Stellenbosch University (SU).

His innovative and popular teaching methods are testament to his enthusiasm for teaching. "My teaching approach is to convey passion and enthusiasm, to provide direction to students and to allow them to explore, grow and thrive in the comprehensive discipline of Clinical Pharmacology."

"Clinical Pharmacology is applicable in every discipline of medicine as all medical doctors are required to write a prescription during their working day," he explains. "However, it is well known that ill-considered prescriptions can adversely affect the health of patients and lead to hospital admissions and even death. The beneficial impact on the healthcare system of teaching well-considered prescribing to future medical doctors is potentially limitless."

According to Decloedt pharmacology is an applied discipline that can easily be transformed from textbook concepts into practical interventions that impact directly on patient outcomes. "I love conveying the relevance of clinical pharmacology to students. They are easily stimulated when the therapeutic intervention is brought into context with existing physiological and pathological knowledge."

The higher education landscape is changing drastically as a result of the digital revolution. Decloedt says the technology era has created an active learner and notes that students arrive in class with pre-existing knowledge and have continuous access to the internet. "I find it extremely rewarding when students critically evaluate and challenge me."

In answer to this he introduced a restructured module for fifth-year MB,ChB students to provide for clinical pharmacology lectures in the morning followed by applied workshops in the afternoon. Students are confronted with comparable patient cases which stimulate active participation and learning.

"The large number of students makes small group interactive teaching impossible," he says. The inverted classroom environment allows for other skills to come to the fore than would normally during didactic teaching. Students lead the presentations and this leads to a pleasurable and even humorous learning environment. An online discussion platform promotes learning outside the classroom and participation is encouraged the allocation of bonus marks.

Decloedt is also involved with the development programme for postgraduate registrars in Clinical Pharmacology, where he applies the same teaching approach.