Oral Examination Review PHM 421

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Oral Examination ReviewPHM 421
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Exam Overview

• Format
• Logistics of day
• Content

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Format of Exam

• 40 of course mark
• duration 3 hours
• two parts to exam
• Part A 80 of exam - oral component
• Part B 20 of exam - written component

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Format of Exam

• Part A 80 of exam - oral component
• Total time 2 hours
• Evaluated on
• - integration/application of knowledge (80)
• - verbal communication skills (20)
• Two examiners will evaluate each student

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Format of Exam

• Part A (2 hours)
• On entering the exam room, you will be asked to
  put away all books. You will be given a card to
  write your name on.
• You will then be given a patient case examiner
  will indicate specific areas to be discussed
• You will have 15 minutes to review the case and
  make any notes (paper available)
• Examination will then start total time 1hr, 45
  mins all exams will be audio-taped

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Format of Exam

• Part A (2 hours)
• Examiner will ask students to list signs and Sx
  and urgency will be written on board or
  flip-chart (this component not included on exam)
• Students will then be asked questions about the
  case using the therapeutic thought process to
  identify DRPs and to develop a pharmacy care plan
  (approximately 7-9 questions each)

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Format of Exam

• Part A (2 hours)
• One examiner will ask questions the other will
  be observing, making notes, etc.
• Examiners are instructors from the Therapeutics
  courses (lectures CSS)
• You will not have an instructor who would have
  evaluated you in a CSS

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Format of Exam

• Part A (2 hours)
• All examiners are trained during a 3-hour
  workshop
• There will be 16 examiners (7 or 8 exams will
  take place at one time)
• Case and expected responses will be set by
  coordinator and examiners will be instructed on
  the expected level
• Assessment forms are the same as for PHM 321

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Format of Exam

• At the end of Part A, all papers will be
  collected.
• The material for Part B will be given out
  invigilators will remain in room.
• At the end of Part B, students will be directed
  to use the back stairs to exit the Faculty

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Format of Exam

• Part B 20 of exam - written component
• Duration 1 hour
• Consists of
• - multiple choice questions short-answer
  questions (15)
• - documentation question (5) - similar to the
  format discussed in class

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Logistics of the day

• Please ensure that you are in the student lounge
  at least 15 minutes before your scheduled exam
  time!
• If you arrive after exam has started, you will
  not be permitted to join your group.
• You will be escorted to your exam room 5 minutes
  before the exam start time.

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Logistics of the day

• If you have any potential conflict with an
  instructor, please ask to speak to me right away!
• For session I, you will be asked to stay in the
  exam room until the completion of the exam
• If you have any constructive feedback about the
  exam, please pass them to me

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Helpful tips in preparing for the exam

• Review cases discussed in class review readings
• then, looking at the case, try to think how the
  management of this patient would change if he/she
  had different RF or presented differently
• i.e. know how options would change based on
  patient presentation and know when would drug B
  be more appropriate than drug A, etc.
• discuss cases / questions with a study partner

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Content

• Topics include
• Oncology - Pain, Diarrhea, Sleep disorders,
  Anxiety, depression, BAD, Psychosis, Seizure
  disorders, Migraine, CRF, ARF, CHF.
• Oncology pain
• appropriate agents to use for cancer pain
• adverse effects of pain relievers and management
• appropriate administration/regimens

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Content

• Oncology - diarrhea
• drugs which induce diarrhea
• management of chemotherapy induced diarrhea
• Sleep disorders
• as per class discussion - case and integrated
  case
• thought process for insomnia, comparison of
  pharmacological agents (between and within
  classes), ability to choose appropriate agent
• endpoints and outcomes

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Content

• Anxiety
• pros and cons of different therapeutic choices
  for anxiety as reviewed yesterday (BZD,
  buspirone, SSRIs)
• Depression
• as per class discussion - case and integrated
  case
• thought process for depression, risk factors,
  comparison of pharmacological agents (between and
  within classes), adverse effects, drug
  interactions, ability to choose appropriate
  agent, endpoints

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Content

• BAD
• focus on adverse effects of agents, their
  management and monitoring for effect or adverse
  effects
• Psychosis
• do not need to know specific antipsychotic doses
• comparison of agents categories - atypical vs
  typical
• types of side effects with the various agents
  (some common ones, some that may be less common
  but serious)

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Content

• Seizure disorders
• as per class discussion readings are good review
• thought process for seizures, symptoms, reasons
  to treat patients, comparison of pharmacological
  agents, ability to choose appropriate agent, care
  plan
• Migraine
• as per class discussion, readings are good review
• thought process for treatment prophylaxis,
  symptoms, triggers, comparison of pharmacological
  agents, ability to choose appropriate agent, care
  plan
• need to understand pathophysiology, but do not
  need to know it in extensive detail

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Content

• CRF ARF
• based on class discussion
• complications of conditions and appropriate
  management
• monitoring of these conditions progression
• monitoring of drug therapy
• CHF
• multiple choice questions
• will not be a topic for the oral exam portion

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All the best on your exam and I wish you an
enjoyable and relaxing holiday season!!