Bugs and Drugs Primer (Self Study)

The new Bugs and Drugs primer covers key microbiology and pharmacology concepts as well as case-based exercises on management of Gram positive and Gram negative organisms; to provide a foundation for stewardship principles and practice along with many other high yield concepts.

Content in this section is available through (7) eLearning modules. The 7 modules include:

Module 1: Foundations of Microbiology - Susceptibility Testing and Rapid Diagnostics
Module 2: Foundation of Pharmacology
Module 3: Foundations - Case One
Module 4: Foundations - Case Two
Module 5: Foundations - Case Three 
Module 6: Foundations - Case Four 
Module 7: Foundations - Case Five 

Target Audience

Infectious Disease professionals who desire to learn more about antimicrobial stewardship but are not in a participating fellowship program, no longer in fellowship, or generally would like to gain more knowledge on the subject.

Learning Objectives

Bugs (Microbiology) Learning Objectives:

  • Describe methods, use and limitations of culture and non-culture based rapid diagnostic tests most relevant to the practice of antimicrobial stewardship
  • Describe commonly utilized methods of antimicrobial susceptibility testing in the clinical microbiology lab and explain benefits and limitations of each method
  • Describe principles of MIC interpretation and apply practical CLSI data effectively when considering a case
  • Discuss rapid diagnostic and resistance/susceptibility testing principles most important to the major bacterial pathogens (S.aureus, Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus) relevant to stewardship


Drugs (Pharmacology) Learning Objectives:

  • Describe general concepts and principles of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of antimicrobials
  • Identify PK/PD indices of specific antimicrobials most associated with bacterial eradication.
  • Characterize how drug exposure impacts antimicrobial efficacy, toxicity and resistance in order to design appropriate antimicrobial regimens
  • Identify clinical circumstances favoring the performance of antimicrobial Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) (e.g. available drug assay, unpredictable drug dose-exposure relationship, clear relationship between drug exposure and efficacy and/or toxicity)
  • Apply PK/PD data, target indices, and therapeutic drug monitoring to the design of appropriate antimicrobial regimens for patients with altered pharmacokinetics and/or in special populations
Course summary
Course opens: 
07/01/2021
Course expires: 
06/28/2027
Rating: 
4
This version of the curriculum is not accredited for CME or MOC.
Please login or register to take this course.

Required Hardware/software

PCs Running Window

  • Windows 10  
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Google Chrome

Apple Computers Running OSX

  • Safari
  • Firefox
  • Google Chrome