The Direction of Pharmacist Education in Regards to Natural or Alternative Medicine

Abstract

Specific Aims: To identify how the field of pharmacy should be advanced in regards to pharmacist education of natural or alternative medicine (NAM) in a fashion that all pharmacists and pharmacy students would have access to. Subjects in this study were experts in the field of NAM. Methods: An online questionnaire asking for expert opinion on ways to educate pharmacists about NAM was made available to experts in the field of NAM. Experts were identified by an internet search of the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association’s (AzNMA) registry of licensed NDs in Arizona, as well as one previously known licensed ND in San Diego. Main Results: The questionnaire was completed by 21 experts, 20 of which identified themselves as licensed NDs. Of the NDs, the average time in practice was 10 years. Sixteen (76%) of the respondents agreed that NAM should be taught in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum with the remaining five (24%) not directly commenting whether or not it should be taught in the PharmD curriculum, but agreeing that pharmacists need to be trained on important NAM. Conclusion: Inclusion of NAM in the PharmD curriculum should be considered being implemented. Information on what resources are available and how to keep up with continued education in this field should also be made available to all students. For current practicing pharmacists there does not appear to be an ideal uniform way of increasing pharmacists’ level of education on NAM, reinforcing the need for inclusion of NAM in the PharmD curriculum.