Canadian University Faculties of Pharmacy: Undergraduate curriculum survey of geriatric content

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Fall 2001 by Misiaszek, Brian C, Borrie, Michael J, Grymonpre, Ruby E, Brymer, Chris D, Et al

RESULTS

All nine deans and/or deans' offices of pharmacy schools responded to our request for the name of the person most knowledgeable about the geriatric content of their undergraduate curriculum. All nine of these faculty members returned completed surveys.

Geriatric Pharmacology/Therapeutics

All nine schools stated that they had coverage of geriatric materials incorporated in other courses. Only three faculties offered courses concentrating exclusively on geriatric topics (Table I). No schools made use of audio/video cassette instruction or computer aided instruction, or used distance education. The methods used to teach geriatric content are summarized in Table II.

Three schools indicated that collections of case studies were available for their students. Two indicated that conferences were available for their students to attend, and another two indicated that they had collections of journal articles available. Three faculties indicated that no geriatric related educational materials or resources were made available to their students. While only one school noted that nursing home clerkships were an important teaching resource, eight of nine schools had such clerkships available for their students. Individual schools noted such resources as textbooks published by faculty, faculty with a special interest in geriatrics (or those with large geriatric practices), geriatricians and other medical faculty with a special interest in geriatrics as resources available for students to utilize.

Geriatric Curriculum Content

There was substantial variance in the coverage of a variety of geriatric pharmacy topics. Most pharmacy schools indicated good coverage of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic changes in the elderly, polypharmacy, and the incidence and prevalence of disease in the elderly. Fewer faculties reported covering health promotion and well being, adverse drug reactions, and the principles of `smart pharmaco-architecture' in the elderly (Table III). The time spent teaching therapeutics appeared to reflect the more prevalent conditions in the general population rather than geriatric issues. For example, cardiovascular therapeutics (median seven hours, range 0-18 hours) and neurological therapeutics (median six hours, range 0-14 hours) received the most hours. Eight schools stated that there should be more or much more emphasis on geriatric content in their present undergraduate curriculum. The single school that answered "same" already had a mandatory course in geriatric pharmacy, along with relationships with their university's division of geriatric medicine. The second part of the question which invited respondents to provide a written reply, was "If more or much more, which topics and which years?" Comments from respondents were as follows:

* "All students need a separate geriatric course rather than an elective course only offered to half the class."

* "A specific geriatric course should be implemented... three credit course. Also we need to offer a course in geriatrics for our practicing pharmacists."