Mathematics in Pharmacy:

Improving Student
Performance and Engagement

David S. Jones
School of Pharmacy

Background: Entry Profile of

Pharmacy Students
High

Academic Background (circa

435 tariff points)
Requirements (AAB or ABB with an A
in a fourth AS subject)
Subjects required at A2
Chemistry
At least one from Physics, Mathematics,

Biology
One other A2 subject
Mathematics

required at GCSE

Mathematical Entry Profile of

Pharmacy Students
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

GCSE

AS

A2

Further

Mathematics in
Pharmacy
Key

Numeracy Skills/Algebra

Needed throughout the course

Assessed at entry to level 1
30% failure rate
Limited opportunity to address deficiencies

Examples

include:

Rearrangement of equations
Calculation of

doses/concentrations/molarity
Use of equations

Mathematics in
Pharmacy
Pharmaceutical

Statistics

Needed throughout the course (but

mostly in Level 4)
Assessed in the skills component in
Level 1
30% failure rate
Limited opportunity to address
deficiencies
Examined in levels 2 and 4

Statistics in Pharmacy
Probability and
distributions
LEVELS
1 AND 2
Central
tendency/Variation
Confidence Intervals
Transformations
One sample
parametric/nonparametric tests
Two sample
parametric/nonparametric tests

Paired and unpaired

Chi-squared test
Linear regression

LEVEL 4

Multiple hypothesis
tests
ANOVA
Kruskal-Wallis test

Post hoc tests

Multiple regression
Logistic regression
Epidemiology
Introduction to
Bayesian statistics

Mathematics in
Pharmacy
Logarithms
Base e
Other bases
Changing bases
Use of Log/Semi-log graph paper

Trigonometry
Basic details ranging through to calculus

of trigonometry

Mathematics in
Pharmacy
Calculus
Key component of several scientific sub-

disciplines
Pharmacokinetics
Chemical Stability
Population growth studies

What effect does this

have
Students

navigate through the

course to avoid mathematical topics
Some students leave QUB with a
good degree but devoid of many
skills that are required in clinical
practice (research???)

Sources of Problems to
Pharmacy
Mathematics

is not a specified
subject at A level
Content of the Advanced/Advanced
Subsidiary and GCSE courses
Modular design of the Advanced and
Advanced Subsidiary courses

Content of Secondary Level

Mathematics Courses
GCSE
Gradual reduction in content over 20

years
Reduction in problem solving activities
Variation in standards across examining
boards
Is the mathematical standard at GCSE
level suitable for science based courses?

Content of Secondary Level

Mathematics
Courses
Modular
Subjects studied in
ADVANCED
isolation
SUBSIDIARY
Different
mathematical
experiences for each
student
All students study C1
and C2
Third subject is
usually M1 or S1
(Decision
mathematics?)
Reduction in content

Modular
ADVANCED
2

Subjects studied in
isolation

Different
mathematical
experiences for each
student
All students study C3
and C4 (usually)
Third subject is
usually M2 or S2
Reduction in content

Content of Courses and

Pharmacy Needs
Key

Numeracy Skills/Algebra

Covered in GCSE (in theory not practice)

Expanded depth through AS and A2

studies
Logarithms
Fundamentals
Covered in AS (in theory not practice)
Base e
Covered in A2
Other bases and changing bases

Content of Courses and

Pharmacy Needs
Trigonometry
Basic definitions provided at GCSE level
Calculus and use provided at A2 level

Calculus
Introduction provided at AS level
Expanded at A2
More emphasis given to Differentiation
Applications are not taught or examined
By level 3 this knowledge has been

forgotten

Content of Courses and

Pharmacy Needs
Statistics
Level 1 basic requirements are provided

by S1 and S2 modules
Students are lacking in a basic
understanding of the meaning and
applications of the information studied
In first year assessments, some of the
student who have failed the examination
have completed the above modules

Addressing Learning Needs

in Pharmacy
Problems have been identified
Surveyed mathematical needs
Identification

of how students most

effectively learn mathematics
Summer 2011
Generation of pdf descriptions of key

mathematical topics
Accompanying podcasts and worked
examples (Camtasia)
Provision of mathematical examples placed
within a pharmaceutical context