I don't know if this will help you, but I'll give you my perspective as a pharma cist - this is how

I can tell what a new drug is as soon as I see its name (I've been in practice 30 years.) Learn the drugs by class - ie diuretics, calcium channel blockers, ace inhibitor s, fluoroquinolones, etc....You can learn the pharmacology, general kinetic info rmation, side effect profile all as a class. As you group them by class, you'll see "some" naming consistency (generic names have some basis in the chemical str ucture, but this is more than what you want....brand names have no nomenclature they go by)......fluoroquinolones ususally end in -oxacin, ca channel blockers u sually end in -ine or -il, thiazides - end in -iazide....etc. Now, learn the "outliers" & subgroups.... an outlier would be diltiazem - a ca channel blocker - doesn't sound like nifedi pine, felodipine, amlodipine, verapamil, bepridil, etc....you have to know this one on its own ethacrynic acid is a loop diuretic & doesn't sound like furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide....you have to know this one one its own Learn the characteristics of the class in general...then learn what the outliers of the class are. For example, bepridil is the only ca channel blocker which in creases the effective refractory period of the atrium & nimodipine has no effect s on the electrophysiology of the heart to any significant degree... As far as confusing classes of drugs such as antiarrhythmics...you just have to make a chart & learn, which drugs belong in which subgroup. But...again...if you make the chart, there is ususally some consistency & you just have to learn to outlliers. Then....learn which drugs can "cross over" classes - lidocaine for example....it is used as an antiarrhythmic and anesthetic. Gabapentin...is used as an anticon vulsant, antidepressant adjuvant, analgesic adjuvant, etc..You would notice thes e as you group them in their classes because they would be "outliers". I don't know what the "expectation" is of you, but that is how to learn vast num bers of drugs in a short period of time. I hope it helps - good luck!