Read
Identify the prescribed unit and the supply concentration.
MEDIVEERSETHE PRACTICAL HUBOBSERVE / REASON / EXPLAIN
Dose and unit checking
Check a teaching calculation using units and an independently verified prescription.
Your practical station
A simulated chart lists a medicine in mg while the stock label gives mg per mL. Explain the calculation method and safety checks without prescribing to a real patient.
Recognise and interpret
Dimensional analysis connects a prescribed amount to a supplied concentration; clinical appropriateness must be assessed separately.
- Distinguish mass from volume
- Keep units explicit
- Check the final result independently
Calculate
Cancel units carefully and check conversion factors.
Verify
Check plausibility with an approved reference and a second check where required.
At the viva table
Try answering aloud, then open the suggested answer. Examiner questions vary.
01 / Are milligrams and millilitres interchangeable?
No. Their relationship depends on concentration.
02 / Does correct arithmetic prove an appropriate dose?
No. The prescription and patient factors still require clinical validation.
03 / Why avoid trailing zeros in dose notation?
They can be misread and cause large dosing errors.
04 / What if a unit is unclear?
Stop and clarify the prescription rather than assuming.