Concerned about the AI vulnerability of a module’s coursework essay—and its limited alignment with disciplinary practice—we adapted an established drug‑discovery exercise (10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00066) to create a safer, more authentic assignment. The activity offers students, at the end of their course, an opportunity to integrate and apply their learning by developing a viable drug candidate from initial lead compounds. Students are “employed” within a fictional pharmaceutical company and, mirroring real‑world practice, must work collaboratively to optimise therapeutic response, consider pharmacokinetics, and meet an industry‑inspired brief.
Our adaptation, developed in collaboration with the original authors, reduces the resource and technology demands of the initial activity and introduces new student‑facing materials tailored for undergraduate learners. Across four to five workshops, students act as drug‑discovery scientists, analysing in‑session data, reporting findings, and iteratively refining their self‑designed compounds in response to realistic pharmaceutical profiles. Assessment comprises peer‑ and staff‑evaluated practical performance, a team journal, and a rationale for their development decisions.
Students and staff responded enthusiastically to this active, gamified learning experience, noting reduced workload and increased engagement. End‑of‑activity survey data indicate positive perceptions of improved understanding of the drug‑discovery process, stronger connections to lecture content, and enhanced confidence in their readiness for employment in relevant industrial settings. With many higher‑education providers now offering medicinal chemistry or drug‑discovery minors, this activity provides a scalable, evidence‑informed approach to strengthening students’ skills in teamwork, research, data handling, and decision‑making while authentically integrating theory and practice.