title: Assessment of the pharmacogenomics educational environment in Southeast Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pharmacogenomics aims to use the information derived from an individual's genomic profile in the context of individualizing medical treatment modalities. However, currently, pharmacogenomics education is not uniformly provided to health care professionals. This study investigates the status of pharmacogenomics education in Southeast Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  University websites served as information sources in order to investigate the discrepancies in pharmacogenomics education in Southeast Europe. In parallel, a survey was conducted at the University of Cagliari (Italy) to test pharmacogenomics knowledge and understanding among specialists, residents and undergraduate students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study shows that pharmacogenomics knowledge is not uniformly spread in universities in Southeast Europe and provides the basis for the harmonization of pharmacogenomics education that would directly impact on a smoother integration of pharmacogenomics into mainstream medical practice. Also, a considerable gap in pharmacogenomics education was obvious between the group of specialists and the groups of residents and undergraduate students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacogenomics education as well as the continuous enrichment of pharmacogenomics knowledge for health care professionals are fundamental approaches toward personalized medicine. Ideally, pharmacogenomics should be taught as a stand-alone course or at least in the context of genetics courses that already exist in universities in Southeast Europe.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosciences and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pisanu
authors.forename: Evangelia-Eirini
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Tsermpini
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mavroidi
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsila
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Patrinos
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Squassina
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000193:education*; D010820:Physicians; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods; D014495:Universities