PHARM 7517EX - Treatment of Addiction: Pharmacotherapies

External - Semester 1 - 2020

This course is designed to provide an overview of the pharmacological management of alcohol and drug addiction. It will cover the management of withdrawal from alcohol, sedatives, opioids, cannabis and stimulants as well as long-term management of dependence on opioids, tobacco and alcohol. Additional topics include international perspectives on management of dependence, management of dependence during pregnancy and the process of medication development.

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Course Details

Course Code	PHARM 7517EX
Course	Treatment of Addiction: Pharmacotherapies
Coordinating Unit	Medical Sciences
Term	Semester 1
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	External
Units	4
Contact	Online
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Restrictions	Available for non-Award study after consultation with Program Director (students need to enrol at VCU and meet GradCert in International Addiction Studies entry criteria).
Assessment	Assignments, discussion board participation and exam

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Andrea Gordon

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

This course is a component of the International Program of Addiction Studies provided by the University of Adelaide in collaboration with Kings College London (UK) and Virginia Commonwealth University (USA). Courses are offered on a modified semester schedule. This course is scheduled to commence in the first week of February, and run over 14 weeks with 4 one-week study breaks and concluding with an exam.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

At the end of this topic you should be able to demonstrate an understanding of:

1. The current possible approaches to treatment of drug problems, service delivery issues and future directions.

2. The major manifestations and treatment of withdrawal of: alcohol, sedatives, opioids, cannabis and stimulants.

3. The treatment options and long-term management for: opioid dependence, tobacco dependence, alcohol dependence.

4. International perspectives on treatment of opioid dependence.

5. The treatment options for addiction and dependence during pregnancy.

Skills and Attitudes

You will be expected to develop and/or enhance your:

6. Competence in critical evaluation and interpretation of the existing literature on treatment of drug dependence and management of drug related problems.

7. Ability to effectively synthesize information and ideas in relation to approaches to management of problems related to drug use.

8. Academic writing skills.

9. Ability to effectively use online resources available in the drug and alcohol field.

10. Ability to effectively communicate your intellectual curiosity and knowledge to others in an online discussion.

11. Ability to manage effectively the allocation of time in performing tasks.

12. Commitment to continuous learning.

13. Awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues and their importance in the exercise of your professional and student responsibilities.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1-5
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	6-7
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	8-10
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	6-11
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	4,13
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	10-12

Learning Resources

Required Resources

All required resources will be available online, usually through the libraries of the three universities involved in the program.

Recommended Resources

Information on recommended resources will be provided online, usually as links to online material.

Online Learning

This course is provided totally online. The International Program in Addiction Studies is currently hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University. Course materials are provided on the VCU equivalent of MyUni (MyVCU).
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes

The online delivery offers flexibility, but students are encouraged to go through the work at the same pace so as to make best use of the online discussion.

The course is provided as a series of topics. Each study topic comprises:
• a topic outline describing the components and learning objectives;
• a concept lecture (or lectures);
• essential and additional readings;
• a quiz to test your understanding (not graded); and
• a discussion forum.

The discussion forum is used to clarify any issues, practise writing and professional discussions (e.g. using references) and to share experiences. It is not a chat room, but more resembles an open panel discussion. In some courses, depending on interest of the students, wikis or other interactive tools may be used to increase collaboration further.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The expected work load for the course is 20 hours a week. This will be spent on reviewing the video and reading material, doing the revision quizzes, engaging in discussion and preparing for the assessments.

Learning Activities Summary
The following topics will be taught:
- Recovery: what does a patient want and what options do we have?
- Introduction to managed withdrawal and the risks of alcohol withdrawal
- Introduction to sustained recovery and managing alcohol use
- Managing tobacco dependence
- Managing opioid withdrawal
- Managing opioid dependence
- Managing use of other common drugs
- Hurdles to treatment and international perspectives
- Management of dependence during pregnancy and after
- Future directions and medication development (not examined)
Specific Course Requirements

Not applicable

Small Group Discovery Experience

Not applicable

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due (approx.)	Weighting
Online tests	Formative
Discussion board participation	Summative	2-3 weeks after release of each topic	20%
Written assignment 1	Summative	Week 6	5%
Written assignment 2 (Essay)	Summative	Week 13	35%
Written examination	Summative	End of course	40%

Assessment Related Requirements

Not applicable

Assessment Detail

Written Assignment 1
This is an exercise in discussing the pros and cons of a specific treatment using the literature. You will be offered a list of treatments to choose from. Length: 500 words (excluding reference list).

Written Assignment 2: Essay
The aim of the essay is to demonstrate understanding of the course material, to collect high quality information from peer reviewed journals, undertake critical appraisal of information sources, and demonstrate good academic writing skills. Length: 2000 words (excluding reference list).

Written Examination
This exam is designed to test broad understanding of the topics covered in the course. The exam will be made available on the VCU equivalent of MyUni (known as MyVCU) for a limited period of time.

Submission

Specific instructions on the preparation and submission of written assignments will be provided on the VCU equivalent of MyUni (known as MyVCU).

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
As this course is part of a joint degree, the IPAS program handbook holds the most important information. Normal University regulations may not apply as another university will be your host university.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator