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Clinical pharmacy is a relatively new professional discipline, being only about 25 years old. This new breed of pharmacists is patient rather than drug product oriented. The discipline arose out of dissatisfaction with old practice norms and the pressing need for a health professional with a comprehensive knowledge of the therapeutic use of drugs. Clinical pharmacy is the branch of pharmacy where pharmacists and pharmaconomists provide patient care that optimizes the use of medication and promotes health, wellness and disease prevention. Clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmaconomists care for patients in all healthcare settings but the clinical pharmacy movement initially began inside hospitals and clinics. Clinical pharmaconomists and clinical pharmacists often collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals. Clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmaconomists have extensive education in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, sociobehavioral and clinical sciences. Most clinical pharmacists have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree and many have completed one or more years of postgraduate training (e.g. a general and/or specialty pharmacy residency). Many clinical pharmacists also choose to become a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS), a Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP), Board Certified Nuclear Pharmacist (BCNP), Board Certified Nutrition Support Pharmacist (BCNSP), or a Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP) through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialities (BPS). There are also subspecialties within the Pharmacotherapy specialty: Cardiology and Infectious Disease. It is denoted as an "Added Qualification" or AQ. In order to obtain one of these specialties you must first be a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and then submit a portfolio to the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties for review to determine if they will grant you the added qualifications. Read More |
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What is "Clinical Pharmacy"?
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Drug Focus
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