Drug information education in doctor of pharmacy programs.

Objective: To characterize pharmacy program standards and trends in drug information education.

Methods: A questionnaire containing 34 questions addressing general demographic characteristics, organization, and content of drug information education was distributed to 86 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States using a Web-based survey system.

Results: Sixty colleges responded (73% response rate). All colleges offered a campus-based 6-year first-professional degree PharmD program. Didactic drug information was a required course in over 70% of these schools. Only 51 of the 60 colleges offered an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in drug information, and 62% of these did so only on an elective basis.

Conclusions: Although almost all of the PharmD programs in the US include a required course in drug information, the majority do not have a required APPE in this important area.