Outline the pharmacology of vancomycin
A basic and fundamental pharmacology question which required candidates to present their
answer in a coherent fashion, as well as demonstrate sufficient knowledge. Candidates were
expected to mention spectrum and mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics (including dose,
distribution, elimination, etc) and adverse effects, activity profile e.g. time-dependent,
antimicrobial activity depends on the duration that the serum drug concentration exceeds
the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the target organism and not concentration
dependence.