Overview
- 3-Credit Course (Course Catalogue)
- Offered Annually by UVM’s Department of Pharmacology
- Open to both Continuing Education and Graduate Students
Program Description
The University of Vermont College of Medicine is one of the first medical schools in the US to offer Cannabis education. UVM’s Department of Pharmacology offers this 3-credit course to introduce fundamental concepts in pharmacology and key concepts in human physiology underlying medicinal and other Cannabis use. Students gain an up-to-date scientific foundation in a complex and evolving area of medicine.
Lectures focus on Cannabis taxonomy, medicinal chemistry of cannabinoids, physiological effects, and emerging therapeutic applications. Historical, political, and socio-economic influences on marijuana legislation will also be discussed, along with Vermont’s experience with medical marijuana.
Course content areas include:
- History
- Law and policy
- Plant biology
- Biological effects on humans
- Cannabis analytic chemistry
- Clinical research
This course is open to and was designed for both Continuing Education and graduate students.
Curriculum
This 3-credit course, offered by the University of Vermont, Department of Pharmacology provides an introduction to the physiology and pharmacology underlying recreational and medicinal uses of Cannabis. Lectures focus on Cannabis taxonomy, medicinal chemistry of cannabinoids, physiological effects, and emerging therapeutic applications. Historical, political and socio-economic influences on marijuana legislation will also be discussed.
This course is open to Undergraduate, Graduate and Continuing Education students but requires a background in Biology and Chemistry or Instructor Permission.
The course is divided into six areas of content: 1) history 2) law and policy, 3) plant biology, 4) biological effects on humans, 5) Cannabis analytic chemistry, and 6) clinical research. Current information about the Vermont experience with medical marijuana is discussed. This course provides students with a foundation of up-to-date scientific knowledge in a complex and evolving area of medicine, while introducing key concepts in human physiology and pharmacology.
Learning Objectives
This course is intended to be a unique experience for students to develop a broad understanding of Cannabis and its medicinal use, with more advanced concepts relevant to pharmacology and medicine within the context of the following specific objectives:
- Discover the importance of Cannabis in the historic development of medicine
- Explore the different methods used to extract medicinal benefits from Cannabis
- Examine the spectrum between medicines and toxins
- Develop basic knowledge of the human body and it’s common diseases
Faculty
Karen Lounsbury, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology
Monique McHenry, PhD, Co-Founder of the Phytoscience Institute, Executive Director of Vermont Patients Alliance Inc., and Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology
Wolfgang Dostmann, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology
Pre-requisites
As a credit course, you must be a current student at UVM or a continuing education student. If you are not a current student, please complete the continuing education pre-registration form by clicking here. One of our Enrollment Advisors will be in touch about next steps for registration.