Exploring Ideological and Political Education in the Pharmacology Curriculum and Student Growth: A Case Study of Teaching Artemisinin and Ephedrine in the Context of Building a Leading Country in Education
Main Article Content
Keywords
building a leading country in education, pharmacology, curriculum-based ideological and political education, artemisinin, ephedrine, moral integrity and professional competence
Abstract
Against the backdrop of the ongoing efforts to build a leading country in education, higher pharmaceutical education is expected not only to impart professional knowledge and cultivate practical skills, but also to assume the educational mission of shaping values and fostering character development. Based on undergraduate studies in the Pharmacology course, this paper reviews two teaching cases—artemisinin and ephedrine—from a student’s perspective. By examining their pharmacological actions, clinical applications, and the history of their discovery and research, we analyze the ideological and political elements embedded in these cases, including cultural confidence, the spirit of scientific inquiry, teamwork, seeking truth from facts, rational drug use, awareness of the rule of law, and social responsibility. Furthermore, drawing on our learning and research training experiences, we reflect on how curriculum-based ideological and political education enhances professional identity, scientific thinking, and a sense of responsibility. On this basis, we propose that ideological and political education in the Pharmacology curriculum should be premised on professional accuracy, delivered through authentic scientific problems and historical materials, and facilitated by student participation and process-oriented assessment, so as to achieve a natural integration of knowledge transmission, ability cultivation, and value guidance.
References
- [1] Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, & State Council. (2025). Outline of the Plan for Building a Leading Country in Education (2024–2035). Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. https://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xxgk/moe_1777/moe_1778/202501/t20250119_1176193.html
- [2] Ministry of Education. (2020). Guiding Outline for Curriculum Ideological and Political Education in Higher Education Institutions (Document No. Jiao Gao). Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. https://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A08/s7056/202006/t20200603_462437.html
- [3] P., Wang, S. E. Zhang, Li, Q. L., et al. (2022). Analysis and reflection on the current implementation of curriculum ideological and political education in medical colleges. Chinese Journal of Medical Education, 42 (7), 618–622. https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn115259-20211213-01521
- [4] Long, Y., Wu, C. Y., & Tang, S. S. (2025). Reflection and practice on the ideological and political construction of pharmacology course clusters. Pharmaceutical Education, 41 (3), 42–46.
- [5] Ma, T. M., Shu, J., Wang, L., & Zhang, L. S. (2020). Integrating virtue and competence, cultivating skills and morality: Practical exploration of curriculum ideological and political reform in traditional Chinese medicine colleges. Chinese Journal of Medical Education, 40 (7), 534-537. https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn115259-20190722-00586
- [6] Zhang, B., & Zhang, H. (2018). On the development and utilization of scientific discoveries as implicit ideological and political education resources in universities: A case study of the discovery of artemisinin. Journal of Hubei University of Arts and Science, 39 (12), 67–70. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1009-2854.2018.12.014
- [7] Meshnick, S. R. (1998). Artemisinin antimalarials: Mechanisms of action and resistance. Médecine Tropicale, 58 (3l), 13–17.
- [8] World Health Organization. (2025). WHO guidelines for malaria. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-for-malaria.
- [9] Tu, Y. Y. (2011). The discovery of artemisinin (qinghaosu) and gifts from Chinese medicine. Nature Medicine, 17 (10), 1217–1220. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2471.
- [10] Nobel Prize Outreach. (2015). The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015: Tu Youyou. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2015/tu/facts/.
- [11] Chen, K. K., & Schmidt, C. F. (1924). The action of ephedrine, the active principle of the Chinese drug Ma Huang. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 24 (5), 339–357.
- [12] Lee, M. R. (2011). The history of Ephedra (ma-huang). Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, 41 (1), 78–84.
- [13] Yang, B. F., & Chen, J. G. (Eds.). (2018). Pharmacology (9th ed.). People’s Medical Publishing House. Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China. (2010). Measures for the Administration of Pharmaceutical Precursor Chemicals (Order No. 72 of the Ministry of Health). https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2010/content_1625205.htm.
Article Sidebar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.