January 07, 2015
The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and the University of Dundee are preparing to launch a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Antimicrobial Stewardship. The free six-week course is aimed at hospital- and community-based healthcare professionals with an interest in antimicrobial resistance.
Participants in the course will work through a simulated multi-drug resistant outbreak. Learners will engage in discussions and conduct course readings to determine how to implement antibiotic stewardship programs in a variety of settings, including high- and low-resource hospitals and in the community. Antibiotic stewardship aims to manage the use of antibiotics rationally and reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The syllabus and class content will be supported by an international advisory panel of experts. The course will require an independent study time commitment of 3 to 4 hours per week over six weeks, and several online discussion groups will be arranged at set times. For those unable to participate in the first offering, the course will be held at least four times in its first year, so there will be continued opportunities to join.
According to Professor Dilip Nathwani, OBE, President Elect of BSAC:
Free online courses offer an innovative way to educate healthcare professionals across the globe on the issue of antimicrobial resistance and how we can best tackle it, including making better and more effective use of antibiotics—the concept of antimicrobial stewardship. The course will be developed by a training faculty comprising experts from different professional societies and organizations internationally, and this diversity of experience and skills will ensure we address both generic and local training needs. We want to deliver a multifaceted and interactive course that aims to meet the needs of a broad range of health care professionals and policy makers that will be free at the point of access.
For more information and to register for the course, please visit: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/antimicrobial-stewardship
