The science of Pharmacology deals with properties and effects of drugs and, in a more general sense, with the interactions between chemical compounds and living systems. Medical pharmacology focuses on the mechanisms of action, toxicities, and therapeutic uses of biologically active substances in humans. Physicians utilize pharmacology not only to treat but also to prevent disease. At AZCOM, medical students are shown the correlation between pharmacology and related medical sciences, taught how to interpret the actions and uses of major classes of drugs, and instructed in the applications of pharmacodynamics to therapeutics. The course is designed to ensure that students are given the tools to use pharmaceuticals in all areas of the practice of medicine.