Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical graduate education often faces a gap between basic theoretical knowledge and the practical realities of drug research, resulting in a limited understanding of new drug development among graduate students. Therefore, it is necessary to implement pharmaceutical education based on the principles and practices of translational medicine to help students gain a deeper understanding of the drug development process and to cultivate professionals capable of translating basic research findings into clinical applications. METHODS: Pharmaceutical graduate students at Campus A (172 students) were taught using traditional methods, while students at Campus B (203 students) were taught using a reformed approach. The reformed class focused on building an interdisciplinary teaching team, selecting faculty with experience in new drug development and a background in translational medicine, to strengthen the connection between clinical and basic research. Additionally, the course content was designed to reflect the latest advancements in the field, breaking away from traditional textbooks. Various disease models were used to explain the application of translational medicine in pharmacy. The course employed a variety of teaching methods, including theoretical lectures, interactive seminars, case discussions, and expert-led workshops, to enhance students' understanding of cutting-edge topics and stimulate innovative thinking while addressing real-world clinical issues. Finally, the assessment focused on process-oriented evaluation, using group presentations, literature reviews, and other diverse methods to comprehensively assess both academic and practical abilities. RESULTS: The comparison of theoretical knowledge exam scores (converted to a percentage scale) between the traditional and reformed class revealed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05), indicating that students in the reformed class had a better grasp of the theoretical knowledge. In the innovative drug development proposal project, the traditional class consisted of 17 teams, while the reformed class had 20 teams. The independent t-test showed a significant difference in the average scores between the two groups (P < 0.01), suggesting that the reformed class developed stronger drug development strategies based on clinical problems. Furthermore, the results of the student satisfaction survey indicated that students in the reformed class responded positively to the new teaching methods, with only a single-digit number of students reporting dissatisfaction, indicating broad acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: The reform of the pharmaceutical graduate course "Biopharmaceuticals and Translational Medicine," based on the principles of translational medicine, not only enhances students' understanding of the drug development process but also better prepares them for careers in pharmaceutical research and clinical applications.