title: The essential research curriculum for doctor of pharmacy degree programs.
abstract: In 2008, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy appointed the Task Force on Research in the Professional Curriculum to review and make recommendations on the essential research curriculum that should be part of doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree programs. The essential research curriculum provides all students with critical and analytical thinking and lifelong learning skills, which will apply to current and future practice and stimulate some students to pursue a career in this field. Eight key curricular competencies are as follows: identifying relevant problems and gaps in pharmacotherapeutic knowledge; generating a research hypothesis; designing a study to test the hypothesis; analyzing data results using appropriate statistical tests; interpreting and applying the results of a research study to practice; effectively communicating research and clinical findings to pharmacy, medical, and basic science audiences; interpreting and effectively communicating research and clinical findings to patients and caregivers; and applying regulatory and ethical principles when conducting research or using research results. Faculty are encouraged to use research-related examples across the curriculum in nonresearch courses and to employ interactive teaching methods to promote student engagement. Examples of successful strategies used by Pharm.D. degree programs to integrate research content into the curriculum are provided. Current pharmacy school curricula allow variable amounts of time for instructional content in research, which may or may not include hands-on experiences for students to develop research-related skills. Therefore, an important opportunity exists for schools to incorporate the essential research curriculum. Despite the challenges of implementing these recommendations, the essential research curriculum will position pharmacy school graduates to understand the importance of research and its applications to practice. This perspective is provided as an aid and a challenge to those in leadership and teaching positions within schools and colleges of pharmacy.
authors.forename: Mary W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Patrick G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Clay
authors.forename: W Klugh
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Mary Jayne
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sifontis
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simonson
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sowinski
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Robyn M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Teply
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vardeny
authors.forename: Timothy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Welty
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D005178:Faculty; D007858:Learning; D012106:Research; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy; D013663:Teaching
references.citation: Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2008 Nov 1;65(21):2058-65
references.pmid: 18945867
references.citation: Pharmacotherapy. 2006 Jul;26(7):1027-40
references.pmid: 16803427
references.citation: Pharmacotherapy. 2007 Feb;27(2):312-24
references.pmid: 17253924
references.citation: Am J Pharm Educ. 2007 Dec 15;71(6):115
references.pmid: 19503699
references.citation: Am J Pharm Educ. 2007 Dec 15;71(6):113
references.pmid: 19503697