The Student Room Group

How do pharmacy students memorise all the drugs??

Hi there,
Am a pharmacy student.. and wanted to ask other pharmacy students, how do you go about memorising the drugs? I just get muddled up with all the side effects and sometimes even the mechanisms of action. Our uni advices us to write out a sheet for each drug of the core drug list and basically memorise it. I find this so challenging and time consuming. Was wondering if any students have similar problem and how do you combat it?
Reply 1
Original post by Ninjastyle
Hi there,
Am a pharmacy student.. and wanted to ask other pharmacy students, how do you go about memorising the drugs? I just get muddled up with all the side effects and sometimes even the mechanisms of action. Our uni advices us to write out a sheet for each drug of the core drug list and basically memorise it. I find this so challenging and time consuming. Was wondering if any students have similar problem and how do you combat it?


It’s difficult and something which comes with time and practice, particularly if you get work placements. I’m a medical student not a pharmacist, but I find it easier to think of side effects etc if I learn the mechanism/class, and then think of what effects that is likely to have. If you get stuck it causes tummy upset and nausea :P
Another medical student here and I truly do empathise with you. We have to learn drugs too but within the context of a medical condition which makes it easier to remember. I could never just memorise them by rote learning, my brain would explode.
Reply 3
Thanks guys... I totally understand with understanding how the medicine works in the different systems etc. That helps allot. I was originally just gonna get straight to memorising but I don’t think that’s gonna workπŸ˜…
Reply 4
Also.. how do you guys revise for OSCE exams. I get soo nervous during an osce 😷
There is a really good little book
Top 100 Drugs by Hitchings
look on amazon and just type 'top 100 drugs' into search

Also I found making flash cards of all the common drugs was helpful. But this book has basically done it for you! Only criticism by one person on reviews was it should be Top 200

Good luck
Reply 6
OMG I have that book. It’s AMAZING... thanks
Make a whole table of the medicines and group them using the disease state or using their drug class and just memorise.
Some groups in the same class have similar names, or end in the same words i.e ACE inhibitors so use that to memorise
As a student, we weren't really expected to be walking BNFs, more so, we were periodically tested on the major classes of drugs. So, as others have suggested, memorizing the indications/contraindications/side effects/etc. of classes of drugs (rather than individuals) will help. You should also try to align your study method with what helps you learn (e.g. making an online quiz, flashcards, recording and playing back yourself reciting drug information, study groups, roleplaying patient interactions with friends, etc.) Whatever works for you.

Also, for when you are out in the big wide world of Pharmacy, it gets easier. Using this information in a practical sense day-to-day makes it stick far easier than passively reading it out of a textbook.
Do not waste your time just memorising the drug names. I understand it's still early in your university course but you'll find the years will fly by. Instead, from now on, start going through different family of drugs and learn their mechanism of actions for all their indications. For example. how are Ace inhibitors nephroprotective agents in diabetics when they are intrinsically nephrotoxic?. Also, understand why drugs cause the side effects they do, assuming that knowledge is available for that drug/drug class. Basically, get a sound understanding of the drugs. You need to understand the drugs and not just memorise them. Remember, as a pharmacist, people from all walks of life will be coming to you with all sort of questions regarding these drugs. I had a pharmacy staff ask me the other day if a medicine they're on is made from lizard saliva. Luckily I am a bit of a nerd so I had spent time learning the history of a lot of these drugs so I knew the answer.

Alongside the BNF, from now also try and read the following: clinical pharmacy and therapeutics, pharmaceutical journals and NICE CKS to develop your clinical knowledge.I know it's not easy given the loads of other books you also need to read at university but if you manage your time well, it can be done! The more effort you put in now, the easier the coming years and of course, the pre-reg exam
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 11
By taking them
Reply 12
You know when you have to use patient friendly language with patients, how would you guys go about doing it? I just end up using lots of crazy jargon and keep my fingers crossed that the patient doent ask for definitions during osce exams. For example; if explaining the mechanism of action of venlafaxine, would saying that it’s an SNRI be ok? What if they ask what is snriπŸ˜–
Reply 13
Original post by Ninjastyle
You know when you have to use patient friendly language with patients, how would you guys go about doing it? I just end up using lots of crazy jargon and keep my fingers crossed that the patient doent ask for definitions during osce exams. For example; if explaining the mechanism of action of venlafaxine, would saying that it’s an SNRI be ok? What if they ask what is snriπŸ˜–


No you can’t say things like that, no layperson would have a clue what you’re talking about. You can talk about how in depression there are some signals in your brain that aren’t working properly, and the medication helps to make those signals last longer. You could name serotonin and noradrenaline as examples of the signals, but it depends on the patient and their general understanding. It also depends on the depth that your examiners want to see.
Original post by ax12
No you can’t say things like that, no layperson would have a clue what you’re talking about. You can talk about how in depression there are some signals in your brain that aren’t working properly, and the medication helps to make those signals last longer. You could name serotonin and noradrenaline as examples of the signals, but it depends on the patient and their general understanding. It also depends on the depth that your examiners want to see.


Not for OSCE exams, but this seems an over the top simplification.

A lot of patients who take medication for depression conditions or a variety of anxiety conditions know of/what SSRIs are. SNRIs no. Often people know what beta blockers are for anxiety. There's the scope for more varied conversations when appropriate.
Reply 15
Original post by marinade
Not for OSCE exams, but this seems an over the top simplification.

A lot of patients who take medication for depression conditions or a variety of anxiety conditions know of/what SSRIs are. SNRIs no. Often people know what beta blockers are for anxiety. There's the scope for more varied conversations when appropriate.


Yes thats why I said it depends on the patient. You often get an idea of what they know with their consultation.
Original post by Ninjastyle
You know when you have to use patient friendly language with patients, how would you guys go about doing it? I just end up using lots of crazy jargon and keep my fingers crossed that the patient doent ask for definitions during osce exams. For example; if explaining the mechanism of action of venlafaxine, would saying that it’s an SNRI be ok? What if they ask what is snriπŸ˜–


Those are pharmacological terms that may not mean anything to patients. In this case, the OSCE is just testing to see whether you can simply the content (one way of checking your level of understanding on the matter). You need to explain these things to people in terms they understand. Prior to starting your own Mpharm, how would someone have had to explain these things to you for you to understand?

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