School of Medicine

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Professional Education

The Department of Pharmacology teaches courses in five schools within the Health Sciences Center. 

Graduate Education:  The department offers three fundamental graduate courses in addition to participating in the Interdisciplinary Program: Medicinal Pharmacology, Principles of Pharmacology, and Scientific Presentations; Verbal and Written. The department also teaches elective courses.

Medicinal Pharmacology - This course is taught to Physician Assistants and Graduate Students in the School of Medicine.  Dr. Andrew Catling is the Course Director.

Basic Dental Pharmacology - This course is designed to provide the student with a fundamental knowledge of pharmacology. Strong emphasis is placed on dentally oriented therapeutics such as analgesics, antibiotics and drug interactions. The course consists of 66 hours and is divided into 55 hours of lectures, and 11 of examinations.  Dr. Dennis Paul is the Course Director.

Dental Hygiene Pharmacology - This course is designed to provide the Dental Hygienist with the basic principles of pharmacology necessary for clinical practice. Among the areas covered in the lectures are autonomic, cardiovascular, CNS, and antibiotic drugs. There are 25 plus hours of lectures plus a mid-term and final exam. Dr. Dennis Paul and Dr. Kelly Jean Sherman are the Course Directors.

Advanced Nursing Pharmacology - This course is designed to provide students enrolled in the nurse practitioner's curriculum with advanced training in pharmacology.  Dr. Peter Weed is the Course Director.

Nursing Pharmacology - Two courses are taught in the School of Nursing, (fall and spring) serving the B.S. program.   Dr. Andrew Caitling and Dr. Charles Nichols are Course Directors.  

Nursing Anesthesia Pharmacology - This course provides advanced training in Pharmacology as it relates to the drugs used in the practice of anesthesiology.  Dr. Kurt Varner is the Course Director.

Nursing Psychopharmacology - This course provides advanced training in Pharmacology with an emphasis on drugs used to treat psychiatric diseases and disorders. Dr. Peter Winsauer is the Course Director.

Medical Pharmacology - The second year medical school curriculum consists of 8 system-based courses.  Pharmacology faculty tach in all 8 courses.  Dr. Daniel Kapusta is the Pharmacology content director and Co-Director of the Renal Course.   Dr. Kurt Varner is the Co-Director of the Foundations of Pharmacology Cours and of the Co-Director of the Cardiovascular Course