ncouraging academics and research in the department of Pharmacology in a new medical school in the Kathmandu valley

KIST Medical College is a new medical school in Nepal. The department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics has the vision to create healthcare professionals who can use essential medicines rationally. Pharmacology is an important discipline for a medical student. At the Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara the department emphasizes teaching students to use essential medicines rationally. The management of KIST Medical College was interested in promoting the rational use of medicines in the teaching hospital. A Medicine and Therapeutics Committee was formed and pharmaceutical care activities and the hospital pharmacy are run under the committee’s supervision. Weekly departmental presentations are held and the department conducts fortnightly academic detailing sessions for the clinicians. Microteaching sessions both for didactic lectures and for problem-stimulated learning sessions have been conducted. The faculty members have published articles related to rational use of medicines, medicine care services and innovative learning methods in various journals.