Graduate students across the country, with an interest in health care and medical research, will soon have the opportunity to learn about a lesser-known area of patient care - the drug discovery and development process. Eli Lilly and Company has collaborated with 10 leaders from academic institutions to create an elective graduate level course, "Making Medicines: The Process of Drug Development."  Lilly will formally unveil the eLearning course at the American Osteopathic Association scientific conference in Orlando, Florida., October 17-21, and launch its pilot programme with academic partners beginning in 2016.

The online drug development course provides an interactive platform for students to explore the fundamental principles of drug development, learn about the regulatory environment that govern the biopharmaceutical industry, and identify the roles of key stakeholders, including physicians, who develop, investigate, and regulate biopharmaceutical products. The course includes seven chapters that contain various elements, such as expert videos from the perspective of the FDA and NIH, knowledge checks, case studies and competency tests.

"We identified a knowledge gap surrounding the biopharmaceutical industry and its drug discovery and development process," said Yolanda Johnson-Moton, Director, External Relations Medical Affairs, Lilly USA, "and set out to find a solution that would further education and awareness. Our unified focus is on creating better patient outcomes, and the healthcare providers of tomorrow are an integral part of the process."

"The 'Making Medicines: The Process of Drug Development' course allows students to engage in a self-directed learning process to become familiar with drug discovery and development," said Dr. Marc Kahn, Senior Associate Dean, Tulane University School of Medicine. "Students will obtain useful knowledge in a self-paced setting and will apply that knowledge in a series of assessment exercises.  I plan to use this course as an elective for senior medical students who want to learn more about drug development, the FDA and the biopharmaceutical industry."

The launch of the course comes shortly after the introduction of Lilly's Medical Student Rotation Program, a four-week experiential learning program at their Indianapolis headquarters, where third- and fourth-year medical students familiarize themselves with the biopharmaceutical industry and its role in the practice of medicine through real-world projects and workshops. Future healthcare providers, who will be dependent on new medicines for their patients, will benefit from learning about the discovery and approval process.

"These student programmes offer Lilly the opportunity to bring forth its longstanding focus on education and build collaborative relationships," said Johnson-Moton. "The Making Medicines: The Process of Drug Development" course provides flexibility to fit within existing academic programs. Our goal is reach more students with an interest in medical research and help provide a balanced perspective on the process and rigor behind drug development."