Learning Pharmacology by Metaphors: A Tale of Beta‑blockers

The metaphoric language keeps the learner engaged in finding an association between known to unknown and therefore, helps him understand the otherwise difficult areas of a topic. A well‑constructed metaphor or analogy by an experienced and imaginative teacher can simplify learning of difficult medical topic such as thrombosis and embolism, or pharmacological differences among psychedelics in a delightful manner.[3,4] The learner finds familiar association with phrases used in common parlance, and edibles and culinary items which breaks monotony, improves creative thinking, and promotes conceptualization. Students themselves can be involved in constructing such analogies with which they are familiar. Being an active learning, it enhances their interpersonal, and communicational skills, and ability to associate appropriately between two ideas or concepts. It is possible to prepare a metaphoric presentation to promote integrated learning in pharmacology and microbiology.[5] An instrument, called improved metaphor analysis, is developed to improve the method of using metaphors for research in education.[