New Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program Available to Pharmacists

A new Pharmacogenomics Certificate is available through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Announced Thursday, the certificate program is designed to teach pharmacists how to integrate pharmacogenomics into practice for improving medication use.¹

This certificate joins other progams offering professional development courses in pharmacogenomics.^2-5

Pharmacogenomics is a rapidly evolving field that evaluates how an individual’s genes affect his or her response to medications, according to ASHP. The field allows medications to be prescribed to patients based on an individual’s genetic makeup, resulting in safer and more effective therapies.¹

Pharmacists can take a prominent role in incorporating pharmacogenomics into clinical practice, and the Pharmacogenomics Certificate is aimed at these medication experts.¹ Pharmacogenomics certificate programs also are offered through pharmacy schools and other professional pharmacy organizations, such as the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,² the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists,³ and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.⁴

In addition to other programs, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) offers its Test2Learn Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA: Duke University, Durham, NC; the Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA; and Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. The NACDS program requires 20 hours, split between live and at-home lessons.⁵

“Pharmacogenomic testing is quickly becoming a routine component of patient care, and ASHP is proud to take a leadership role in expanding pharmacists’ knowledge of this cutting-edge field,” said Paul W. Abramowitz, PharmD, ScD. (Hon.), FASHP, and CEO of ASHP, in a prepared statement.¹ “The new ASHP Pharmacogenomics Certificate meets a critical knowledge gap by giving pharmacists the skills needed to spearhead the implementation and clinical application of pharmacogenomics to optimize the safe and effective use of medications.”

The ASHP Pharmacogenomics Certificate is 1 of 10 certificate programs offered by the organization.⁶ The Pharmacogenomics Certificate consists of 8 educational modules that address the rationale and process for implementing pharmacogenomics throughout a hospital or health system and applying it at a patient care level. Participants learn how to interpret pharmacogenomics results, recommend appropriate patient-specific pharmacotherapy, and proactively identify the challenges associated with successfully executing pharmacogenomics programs.^1,6

The certificate program offers up to 18.25 hours of ACPE-accredited continuing education credit. Participants must finish all of the modules and successfully complete the final case study analysis, demonstrating skills learned and competence gained through the program, in order to earn the Pharmacogenomics Certificate.^1,6

Reference

• ASHP Launches Professional Certificate for Pharmacogenomics [news release]. Bethesda, MD; October 11, 2018. ASHP website. https://www.ashp.org/news/2018/10/10/ashp-launches-professional-certificate-for-pharmacogenomics. Accessed October 11, 2018.
• California Society of Health-System PharmacistsPharmacogenomics Certificate Program. CSHP website. https://www.cshp.org/page/CP_PGX. Accessed October 11, 2018.
• University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program. University of Colorado website. http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/pharmacy/AcademicPrograms/ContinuingEducation/CertificatePrograms/PGXcertificate/Pages/PGXcert.aspx. Accessed October 11, 2018.
• American College of Clinical Pharmacy. ACCP Launches Applied Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program. ACCP website. https://www.accp.com/report/index.aspx?iss=0618&art=7 Accessed October 11, 2018.
• Test2Learn™ Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program. NACDS website. https://www.nacds.org/pgx/. Accessed October 11, 2018.
• Professional development: professional certificate programs. ASHP website. https://www.ashp.org/Professional-Development/Professional-Certificate-Programs. Accessed October 11, 2018.