Pharmacists With Postgraduate Training More Comfortable With Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacists who completed a postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residency or who had board certification felt more comfortable implementing and interpreting pharmacogenomic testing, according to a study published in the journal Pharmacy Practice. 

With pharmacy organizations expressing support of pharmacists leading implementation of pharmacogenomic testing, researchers conducted a survey to determine how factors such as postgraduate training influence pharmacist attitudes toward the service. 

Among 75 pharmacists within a large, multistate healthcare system who participated in the 13-question survey, 43% graduated in or after 2010, 36% completed a PGY-1 residency, and 27% had board certification. 

Overall, just 58% of respondents considered pharmacists the best-suited clinicians to implement pharmacogenetic testing into practice. Concerns included limited resources and education, according to the study.  

Pharmacists with a PGY-1 residency, however, were significantly more likely to have formal training in pharmacogenomics, assess their knowledge of pharmacogenomic resources and guidelines higher, and respond favorably to pharmacy services’ offering pharmacogenomics than those without PGY-1 residency, researchers found. Pharmacists with board certification were also more comfortable interpreting pharmacogenomic testing results compared with pharmacists without board certification.  

“In order to best implement wide-spread testing, pharmacists with post-graduate training could be utilized first as a basis of knowledge for adoption of pharmacogenomics programs,” researchers wrote. “Increased visibility and usage of educational resources will be needed for the majority of pharmacists to have a baseline knowledge of pharmacogenomic testing.”

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference

Hundertmark ME, Waring SC, Stenehjem DD, et al. Pharmacist's attitudes and knowledge of pharmacogenomics and the factors that may predict future engagement. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2020;18(3):2008. doi:10.18549/PharmPract.2020.3.2008