Resources

This is a free, online Wordle-like game to help medical and health professionals and students actively recall and learn to correctly spell the international nonproprietary names (INNs) of commonly prescribed drugs. The app can be played in most browsers on a computer, phone, or any other mobile device.

Drugdle applies the principle of educification, an approach to gamification that brings education into the games that learners are already playing. This reduces extraneous cognitive load, as the learners are already familiar with the game rules and environment. Moreover, it allows the selection of game formats that are already proven to engage and keep the interest of the target audience of learners. The widespread popularity of Wordle-format games across age groups and around the world means that most students will already be familiar with and readily engaged by Wordle-format games.

Drugdle is most useful as a learning consolidation tool for medical and health professions students who have already studied a wide range of commonly prescribed drugs. It has been well received when introduced to undergraduate medical students completing their preclinical years, pharmacy students in their penultimate undergraduate year onwards, and Master of Nursing students under training to become advanced practice nurses licensed to prescribe. It is also popular with practising medical and health professionals, especially pharmacists, in continuing education and training.

The Wordle-like format of the game requires students to actively recall drug names and their spelling. The game provides immediate feedback on whether the drug name entered is a correctly spelt INN drug name, as incorrectly spelt names, brand names, and other non-standard drug names entered will receive a “medicine not found” warning message. The option to reveal a hint listing the drug class and examples of indications further prompts learners to actively recall drugs according to their class and clinical usage. Even when they solve the drug name without using the hint, students can be encouraged to use the hint function to revise the drug class and indications. Students can also be encouraged to share their game statistics on class discussion forums or social media to stimulate further discussion of the drugs revised in the game. Narrative evidence from students who have played Drugdle indicates that solving one drug name in the game stimulates active recall of dozens of different drugs.

Resources to support students and staff in the undertaking of final year research/honours/capstone projects.

For staff– a collection of 14, freely available, one page “How to Do It” guides that are designed to support HE staff in their supervision/mentoring of undergraduate final year research/honours/capstone projects.

For students– student-focussed guides to “Choosing your Bioscience Final Year research, Honours or Capstone Project” are now available using this link https://bit.ly/ChoosingBioCapstone.

These guides were produced by David Lewis (University of Leeds, UK), and they cover both traditional and non-traditional projects.