Pharmacology of Sedating and Anesthetic Agents: A Case-Based Flipped Classroom Exercise for Preclinical Medical Students

Introduction: Sedating and anesthetic drugs are widely used in clinical practice; however, relevant teaching remains underrepresented in undergraduate medical education. We developed a 2-hour flipped classroom activity integrating foundational science topics, evidence-based medicine, and clinical reasoning on anesthetic pharmacology for preclinical medical students.

Methods: Presession, second-year medical students reviewed a study guide and completed a readiness assessment. The flipped classroom session was facilitated in a large-group format with learners in small groups. At session end, students completed a consolidation quiz. Two case-relevant questions were included on the midterm and one on the final exam. Student satisfaction was assessed through an anonymous postsession survey.

Results: One hundred ten students participated in the session. Mean performance on the readiness assessment was 96%. Mean performance on the postsession quiz was also 96%. Mean performance on the three midterm and final exam questions was higher than the national mean (94% vs.72%, p < .005). Seventy-six students (69%) completed the survey, with mean satisfaction of 4.6 (SD = 0.7) on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree).

Conclusion: We developed a flipped classroom session teaching pharmacology of sedating and anesthetic drugs for preclinical medical students. Students performed well on pre- and postsession assessments and above the national mean on National Board of Medical Examiners questions, suggesting adequate knowledge acquisition. This session was found to be a highly satisfactory and effective teaching tool requiring students to integrate foundational and clinical science knowledge.