MD3005 Pharmacology Written Assignment 2026: Pharmacologically Challenging Patient Case and Two-Drug Analysis | UCC

This MD3005 written assignment asks you to pick one patient case that is hard from a pharmacological point of view, usually because of polypharmacy, and to explain two of the drugs involved: how each works, how the body handles it, and why taking them together creates risk for the patient. It is a short, focused analysis, not a literature review.

Written Assignment: Aim and Outline

Your pharmacology assignment is based on a patient case that gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of key concepts in pharmacology and to assess pharmacological challenges associated with the case (polypharmacy), and implications for the patient.

Please note, the assignment is not an extensive research project or literature review. Please follow the guidelines below.

Please identify an assignment case by the end of week 1.

Instructions

For your assignment, we would like you to identify a patient case that you consider to be pharmacologically challenging.

Provide a brief description of the case, focusing on pharmacological details (not clinical details), as illustrated in a simplified example below. We anticipate/expect that pharmacologically challenging cases involve polypharmacy, but your assignment is to focus on two drugs (prescription and/or recreational) most relevant to the case.

We encourage patient cases that are uncommon and challenging from a pharmacological perspective, and therefore more interesting than the example below, which is rather textbook.

Please consult with your module coordinator as to whether your proposed case is suitable for the assignment. This needs to be done by the end of week 1 of the module. However, if you feel you cannot identify a suitable case, please contact your module coordinator, who will provide you with a suitable case description.

Please note: the emphasis of the assignment is on the pharmacological aspects of the case.

In Your Case Assignment

Firstly, provide the brief description of your patient case and indicate the key drugs involved (minimal clinical details). Please ensure you have consulted with your course coordinator and agreed on your case.

• Focusing on two drugs most relevant to the patient case:
  • Discuss the pharmacology of each of the two drugs and the aspects of drug pharmacology most relevant to the patient case, i.e. pharmacodynamic aspects, mechanism(s) of action, pharmacokinetics (A, D, M, E), and relevant side effects/adverse effects.
  • Explain the reasons why this case (of polypharmacy) was pharmacologically challenging, i.e. explain the effects of the drug combination, which may relate to, for example, drug interactions, additive drug effects or synergistic drug effects.
  • Pharmacological implications for the patient (increased/decreased drug effects, adverse effects).
• Include comprehensive and correct in-text referencing and a bibliography in your written assignment (based on credible information sources you use).

It is possible, but not required, to propose or suggest a pharmacological response or management of the patient in the scenario (in broad terms). This should be concise and limited to the pharmacological rationale and effects of the proposed treatment(s) for the patient (not clinical detail or general supportive care). However, please note that suggestions for a rational pharmacological response or management are not always possible.

It is more important to explain why the situation was pharmacologically challenging than to make suggestions for a response.

Please note: the assignment is focused on giving you an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of pharmacology by identifying the relevant information for individual drugs and for the drug combination. It is anticipated that you use your current knowledge and understanding of pharmacology, obtained from this module and from related or previous learning, to complete the assignment.

Simplified Example Case

The example in the module handbook is not fully written out; instead, important points are listed as bullet points. For the assignment, you are expected to write all aspects in full text and in your own words.

Case: We were dispatched to a house to evaluate an unconscious man. The man is 25 years old and weighs approximately 80 kg. The patient’s breathing was slow and irregular. The patient’s wife had found an empty bottle of diazepam as well as an empty 350 ml bottle of vodka next to the patient. The diazepam (20-tablet refill) was dispensed only two days ago.

The case description is qualitative and lacks specific clinical details, such as measures of respiration rate, heart rate and blood pressure. These details are not required for interpreting the underlying pharmacology and are therefore not included.

Submission

• Name your file as Surname_Initial_student number.
• The assignment can be submitted as a Word document through Canvas, where it is automatically checked by Turnitin.
• The deadline for submission is Friday 4 December 2026 (23:59). Late submissions are penalised under the module’s late-submission rules.