Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science (DPOS) Graduate Student Association
Student Perspective
Pharmacogenetics: is the study of any influence an individual’s genetic make-up has on the actions of and the reactions to drugs. In other words, when the effects (therapeutic or adverse) of a drug vary between patients, it is partly attributable to inter-patient genetic variation. And this knowledge can be put to use, to personalize pharmacotherapy. We hope to apply Pharmacogenetic tools in clinical practice for more efficient and safe use of drugs in an individual patient. However, this field is still in its nascent stage and further research is needed to prove consistent pharmacogenetic association and its clinical value with respect to benefit for patients as well as health care providers. The typical research options available in this field at VCU would be to identify a drug or class of drugs and/or a disease state of interest, that is known to have potential for Pharmacogenetic evaluation and then work toward bringing Pharmacogenetic tools, applicable to that area of pharmacotherapy, into clinical practice.
-Mallika Lala
Pharmacy Administration: have taken the Pharmacy Administration track within the Department of Pharmacy. I really enjoy it and would recommend it to individuals interested in pharmacoeconomics or any area of the Healthcare system. I have chosen to focus my area of study in epidemiology and infectious disease. My study of antibiotic resistance is very important to healthcare in the US. The Pharmacy Administration track is flexible enough to create a niche in whatever your desired content area might be. The faculty members in Pharmacy Administration are extremely supportive and offer valuable guidance.
-Suzanne Phillips
Pharmacy Administration: is a field of study that seeks answers to drug-related problems using tools from the managerial, economic, and social sciences. The discipline seeks to influence the profession and the broader health care system in the areas of public policy, professional practice, and profession leadership. The purpose of Pharmacy Administration is to explore and influence problems associated with the use, distribution, financing, and effectiveness of drugs and services. This discipline basically deals with Pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research which is a specialized field of study found to be very useful for PBM’s and Pharmaceutical companies. I have a greater interest towards pharmaceutical marketing and pharmacoeconomics. According to me, Pharmacy Administration is an unconventional stream of Pharmacy which is equally challenging and interesting, and involves no laboratory work but deals mainly with data and statistics.
- Dipen Patel