Deciphering D&Ds: A Peer-Led Piece Containing an Academic Overview, Study Tips, and Analysis

By: Ashley Medina, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025

Embarking on the professional years of St. John’s Pharmacy curriculum allows the aspiring professional to gain knowledge and exposure to various disease states and available treatments, as well as pipeline treatment options. These courses are some of the most rigorous and challenging, yet exciting, essential courses for the completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree here at St. John’s University. Here, you will read valuable advice from fellow peers on how to be successful in the course series we all know as “D&Ds,” which is short for the drugs and diseases curriculum.

What are “D&Ds”?

The drugs and diseases curriculum is designed to introduce and familiarize the student with the pharmacy-oriented patient care process in correlative populations. Interdisciplinary instruction includes faculty with various expertise and experience, allowing full immersion into each disease state and its treatment process. The framework for each D&D covers pathology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and therapeutic lecturing, and is organized based on the affected organs, systems, and diseases.

Understanding the Curriculum

The best way to approach the initiation of each D&D begins with understanding what this information pertains to. This knowledge is acquired within the first half of the Doctor of Pharmacy program, which covers basic science and instills the crucial foundation necessary for successful comprehension of the remaining didactic courses. The courses one will look forward to cover are Introduction to Drugs and Disease: Skin and Miscellaneous Topics, Infectious Diseases, Cardio-Renal I & II, Neurology and Psychological Disorders, Respiratory Diseases, Endocrine and Reproductive System Diseases, Oncology, and finally Gastrointestinal & Gastroenterology Diseases. As you begin each course, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with course content and expectations which can all be found in the provided syllabi.The importance of these courses is to enhance the depth of knowledge and bases for critical thinking and application in real-world medical practice as well as serve to supplement additional providers on a patient’s healthcare team. Completion of the D&D courses will be followed by application-based experiential experiences which will act as a shift into a student’s professional career and will require informative interventions.

Personal Experiences and Insights from Peer Contributors

Hearing so much about these courses may seem overwhelming at first, but adoption of productive habits and personalized approaches will exhibit promising results. Aside from your professors, another great resource as you navigate through these courses, and any course really, is from your fellow peers. Peer insight is invaluable for student success through the utilization of a collaborative and welcoming learning environment. Through this exposure from peers who have shared a parallel academic career, one will gain various approaches and perspectives that may be useful and personalized. These interactions can help individuals overcome challenges, clarify doubts, and enhance their understanding of these complex and information-heavy topics. Not only does this help younger students, but it also fosters active engagement with course content and promotes critical thinking as students analyze questions and provide feedback to one another. Below are some helpful tips from class candidates of 2025.

1. Study daily. Review the material you learn every day to stay on top of it.
2. Manage your time well! D&Ds are every day, so make sure you dedicate time to them.
3. Ask questions when you’re not sure about something.
   -Sean G., Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2025
   
   

1. Study in groups! Collaborating can be very helpful, especially when you don’t understand something.
2. Be prepared with the cases and for the quizzes ahead of time. It’s super beneficial to have it all completed and reviewed beforehand.
3. Having a dedicated study space that promotes focus will positively impact how much you can achieve when studying. A good place could be home, the library, or even HERC.
   -Devin J., Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2025

1. Active engagement is key. Attend lectures, participate in discussions, and ask questions. These all enhance understanding and retention of material.
2. Stay organized and practice healthy time management. Use a planner or a calendar to track assignments, deadlines, exams, and use to-do lists to prioritize tasks.
3. No question is not good enough to not get the answer to! If you are uncomfortable asking in class, use office hours! Professors want to help you.
4. The university offers peer-led tutoring, which I have personally found very helpful!
   -Ashley M., Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2025

Challenges and Solutions

One of the most common misconceptions about the difficulty of D&Ds is not found within the content, but rather the time allotted for each educational block. Due to the small frame of time the coursework is spread over, approximately one month is dedicated to each course. In other words, there is typically an assessment at least bi-weekly, if not every week. Due to this fast-paced learning, students may often find themselves falling behind, most often due to not fully comprehending the content, which is why the practice of the tips shared above can provide preventative measures and solutions for overcoming these challenges.

In conclusion, embarking on the journey through D&Ds for aspiring pharmacists at St. John’s University can be exciting as much as it is challenging. To excel in these courses and gain a deep understanding of the complex topics and treatments, students must adopt effective habits and strategies, and embrace this unfamiliar learning process. In addition to the information provided, additional resources that can supplement class materials may be found at the end of this article. This article has aimed to provide peer-led guidance, emphasizing the importance of trying your best and seeking support when needed as one prepares for their future professional careers in healthcare.

Helpful Resources and References

1. https://www.stjohns.edu/libraries
2. https://www.stjohns.edu/libraries/help-services/health-education-resource-center-herc
3. https://www.stjohns.edu/life-st-johns/student-success/university-learning-commons