"Project-Based Learning in Pharmacology: From Concept to Result."

On April 21, 2025, the Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy, and Clinical Pharmacology at SKMA held a vibrant and eventful seminar
entitled "Project-Based Learning in Pharmacology: From Concept to Result."
The event was officially opened by the Head of the Department Zh.S. Toksanbayeva, who, in her welcoming speech, emphasized the importance of implementing innovative educational technologies in medical education. She particularly highlighted that project-based learning (PBL) is an effective method for developing students' professional competencies, critical thinking skills, independent information retrieval abilities, and teamwork skills.
The seminar program was rich and diverse:
• Students presented a theoretical report on the principles and advantages of project-based learning, emphasizing its role in the development of both professional and personal competencies of future physicians.
• A faculty member of the department shared practical experiences of integrating PBL into the pharmacology curriculum, using the example of a student project dedicated to the problem of antibiotic resistance — one of the most pressing global health threats today.
• International students of SKMA, who were directly involved in the research project, shared their results and impressions. In their presentations, they highlighted the issue of antibiotic resistance in a global context, discussed the situation in India and Kazakhstan, analyzed the main causes of resistance growth, and proposed strategies for its prevention.
• Special attention was given to the role of the SKMA Library in supporting project-based learning: library staff presented available scientific resources and effective information retrieval methods necessary for conducting research assignments.
At the end of the seminar, a lively discussion took place, during which faculty and students discussed the prospects for the further development of the project-based learning approach in teaching pharmacology and exchanged proposals for improving the educational process.

The outcomes of the seminar confirmed that project-based learning promotes a deeper understanding of educational material, the development of independence, responsibility, and the ability to make well-grounded professional decisions.
The Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy, and Clinical Pharmacology at SKMA sincerely thanks all participants for their active involvement, genuine interest, and commitment to continuous professional development.