Teaching Therapeutic Reasoning Through the Case-Study Approach: Adding the Probabilistic Dimension

Case-studies are vehicles for implementing problem-based learning in the curriculum. The main objectives of problembased learning as achieved through case studies are to instill in students principles of self-learning and critical thinking. Pharmacotherapeutic case studies are also used to integrate knowledge from different pharmaceutical disciplines (medicinal chemistry) and illustrate their contribution to pharmacy practice principles such as therapeutic decision making and establishing monitoring protocols. In amplification of the first objective, pharmacoepidemiology, economics and medical decision making are important in providing a framework for clinical decision making to students. Through probabilistic reasoning in the resolution of case studies, students can improve their self learning, critical thinking and therapeutic and monitoring skills.