An Elective Course to Introduce Clinical Pearls Related to Commonly Prescribed Medications

Objective. To develop and implement a 2-hour elective course to reinforce clinical aspects of various commonly prescribed medications and identify important differences between various drug classes. Design. Drugs and drug classes were systematically and chronologically presented to highlight "clinical pearls'' and subtle differences, and provide a framework that facilitates learning. Assessment. Learning was assessed via 3 paper-based examinations, a written drug consult, and a comprehensive final examination. Students performed well on the examination and rated the course favorably on standardized evaluations. Conclusion. The RX File course proved to be a popular elective which appears to meet a niche by providing a course that supplements and complements the existing curriculum by providing detailed information on the clinical aspects of medications.