Elective Course Descriptions

This course surveys the biochemical, metabolic, and nutritional sciences underlying the provision of nutritional support, and provides a basic introduction to the clinical practices involved in its implementation. During the course, students apply information provided in lectures to the provision of nutritional support in selected clinical case studies.

Credits: 1

The course is 20 hours of didactic lecture, but Web-based and video presentation is also used. Discussion sessions highlight the potential use of biological and chemical agents as agents of terrorism, when to suspect their use, signs and symptoms of each agent, the standard medical response to biological and chemical terrorism, and the factors involved in planning for and protecting against a biological and chemical weapons attack. In addition, historical and hypothetical case scenarios are also presented.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

MICR 1510 Infectious Diseases and Their Etiologic Agents

This course provides the student with the vocabulary necessary to understand and converse in the fields of medicine and health care in Spanish. This course has been designed to aid the medical student in communicating with the Latino patient, understand cultural attitudes, which may impact on the required medical care. Listening, comprehension, and conversational skills will be stressed through dialogues and oral presentations by students. Critical learning skills that students will need to develop to accomplish the intended outcome are cooperative learning and effective group dynamic skills.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

Two years of high school or college Spanish

This course provides an opportunity for PS-I, PS-II, and PS-III students to work with individual faculty mentors on projects of variable scope. Included activities could be library, laboratory, and/or survey-type research; assistance with syllabus development of future elective courses; or other activities agreed on between the student and mentor and approved by the appropriate department chair. A maximum of 4 credits of PPRA or PSCI 1301 may be applied toward elective requirements for the Pharm.D. degree.

Credits: 1 - 3

This course will concentrate on issues related to the care of general internal medicine patients in an acute inpatient setting. Topics in the course will focus on the diagnosis, pharmacotherapy, and management of this specific patient population. New topics will be discussed and topics covered in core courses will be augmented.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PPRA 1611, 1612, 1613 and 1711 Pharmacotherapeutics I, II, III, and IV

This course includes a general overview of pharmacy throughout history, with special emphasis on Illinois pharmacy and pharmacy associations. The second half of the course consists of student-led presentations on individuals who can be considered heroes in the profession who have been instrumental in the adaptation of our health care system.

Credits: 2

Throughout their careers pharmacists are called upon to teach. Many pharmacists present continuing education talks, precept pharmacy students, and present community service seminars. To be effective at these tasks, it is essential for the pharmacist to have a good understanding of learning theory and basic tools for teaching. This course is designed to introduce students to learning theory and basic tools for teaching. Students learn through practice. As new concepts are introduced, students will apply them in either homework assignments or in-class presentations.

Credits: 1

Prerequisites

PS-II or PS-III standing

This elective course focuses on reviewing the clinical trial data that support therapeutic recommendations in primary care. The course critically evaluates landmark clinical trials, identifying rationale and/or inconsistencies with trial data and current therapeutic guidelines. The focus is on applying clinical trial data to patient cases to support therapeutic recommendations. Therapeutic topics include diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and heart failure.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

This course provides insight into psychiatric disorders. Topics include psychiatric patient interviews, pediatric psychiatry, women's health psychiatry, and personality disorders. Current clinical controversies, new research, and psychiatric-related films, documentaries, and popular literature will be discussed.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

This elective concentrates on specific issues related to the optimal delivery of women's health care. Topics covered include gender-related differences in treating women, wellness and prevention over the female life span, diseases uniquely affecting women, and pharmacotherapy and psychosocial aspects of women's health. Interactive lectures, group projects, and workshops will educate students about practical considerations in the health care of women. Community service will be encouraged.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

This course is intended to provide pharmacy students with the opportunity to learn about selected infectious diseases. Methods used to diagnose as well as treat will be covered. Topics to be discussed during class include understanding laboratory tests to direct antimicrobial pharmacotherapy, antimicrobial regimen selection, allergies, and cross-sensitivities, as well as various infectious diseases.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

Students develop syntactic knowledge of American Sign Language and learn basic vocabulary and conversation skills that are frequently used by health care professionals. Students will also develop expressive and receptive finger spelling through class activities. Vital aspects of deaf culture are also discussed.

Credits: 1

This course combines lectures and group discussions of the major oncology topics. Lectures will address the biology and pathophysiology of cancer and the rationales for the types of chemotherapy treatments. The importance of the pharmaceutical role of supportive care in cancer will also be discussed.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

This course will enable students to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to provide comprehensive tobacco cessation counseling to patients who use tobacco. Topics of emphasis include epidemiology of tobacco use, principles of addiction, methods of assisting patients with quitting, nicotine pharmacology and available tobacco cessation products.

Credits: 1

Prerequisites

PPRA 1611 Pharmacotherapeutics I

The goal of this course is to gain an awareness of a career as a process requiring planning, development, and management. Career-related topics will be presented and discussed, including how career-related discussions are affected by life stages, career self-assessment, best methods for job hunting according to Bolles, the curriculum vitae and cover letter, effective methods used during an interview process, and job-related benefits.

Credits: 2

In the critical care setting, pharmacists have a unique role within multidisciplinary medical teams through their expertise in pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacokinetics, and drug information. This module is designed to introduce students to selected disease states encountered in the intensive care unit setting as well as current controversies regarding the clinical management of these patients. The therapeutic management of critically ill patients will be discussed using case study and lecture formats.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

This course reinforces and extends students' physical assessment skills. Student learning will be facilitated through lectures with hands-on training. Lectures focus on the rationale behind the physical assessment method and a description of the techniques employed and their place in practice (diagnosis and monitoring). Techniques used for drug therapy monitoring by pharmacists will be discussed. Workshops will provide students with the opportunity to practice and perfect physical assessment skills. The class will be organized based upon organ systems and specific disease processes. Note: Students with personal or physical restrictions regarding disrobing should contact the course coordinator no later than the first session so alternative methods can be incorporated.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

Appropriately managing lifestyles is a part of successful pharmaceutical care. This course highlights major areas of lifestyle modifications for all patients including nutrition, physical activity, and weight management, plus management of lifestyles in chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The course expands on the concepts of pharmaceutical care and patient assessment introduced in prior courses with respect to lifestyle. Case studies, student projects, and lectures will be utilized to deliver the course.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

Students in this course will solve clinical cases and provide evidence to support their recommendations. Controversial topics will require students to use second, third, and fourth line therapy options in clinical decision making. Select topics include anticoagulation, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, heart failure, and others.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in PPRA 1713 Pharmacotherapeutics VI

This course is designed to introduce students to leadership concepts and theory and is intended to expand the students' knowledge and their leadership potential. The course will review leadership and management principles through discussion of current leadership literature.

Credits: 1

This elective course provides students with an overview of major topics in anticoagulation management encountered in clinical practice. Topics include prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), anticoagulation in special patient populations, treatment plans requiring modification of anticoagulation, and different practice models for anticoagulation monitoring. Students will develop a working knowledge and skill set required to provide pharmacy-managed anticoagulation services in both the inpatient and ambulatory settings.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PPRA 1613 Pharmacotherapeutics III

This course will provide pharmacy students with an opportunity to learn about more selected cardiovascular diagnosis, procedures, and therapy. New topics will be discussed and topics covered in core courses will be augmented. Lectures will focus on the role of pharmacologic agents in diagnostic and invasive cardiology procedures from basic concepts to patient's bedside. Active learning strategies are highly employed.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PPRA 1613 Pharmacotherapeutics III

Pharmacists provide an important role in the treatment of drug overdose. This course introduces students to the clinical presentation and therapeutic management of various acute overdose situations, covers basic principles of poison control, and addresses the management of the following overdose types: opioids, illicit drugs, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, stimulants, alcohols, OTCs, cardiovascular agents, anticholingergics, and others. The course will be lecture based with many active learning opportunities.

Credits: 1

Prerequisites

PS-II Standing

Through hands-on involvement in a community service project and discussions with community leaders, the student will be better prepared to provide pharmaceutical care to a wider segment of the population. The issues addressed may include understanding the role of physical or mental disabilities, cultural sensitivity, language barriers, and alternative medicines in providing quality pharmaceutical care. This course includes development and implementation of a service project or participation in a project currently sponsored by the University. Permission of the instructor is required.

Credits: 1

Alternative therapies are being used by a growing percentage of the population and are becoming more visible to mainstream medical practice. Health care professionals should develop the knowledge and skills necessary to aid the patient in making rational decisions about the use of alternative therapies. This elective focuses on the utility of drugs from natural sources in today's practice environment and surveys the products of animals, plants, microbes that will impact pharmacy tomorrow.

Credits: 3

This course focuses on the appropriate use of drug delivery systems to ensure appropriate response to therapy of medications used in a variety of disease states. Route of administration, formulation design, bioavailability and bioequivalence will be discussed with the intent to discover the therapeutic impact of formulation.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

This module provides an overview of the mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses of fat- and water-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, macro- and micro-minerals, and enteral nutritional support products. Topics include the use of anti-oxidants, multi-vitamin choices, potential toxicity and drug interactions, and nutritional support/supplement selection for infants and adults. The mechanism-based approach used in this module allows the student to more easily identify, organize, and recommend various therapeutic agents for a wide variety of patients.

Credits: 2

Prerequisites

PS-III standing

Students will participate in a research experience focused on the general principles and current approaches involved in drug discovery. The course will provide a hands-on approach to learning practical laboratory techniques currently employed (albeit on a larger scale) at pharmaceutical companies to identify novel compounds. In addition to basic bench skills, students will learn experimental design; literature analysis; and scientific writing skills. The course will emphasize critical thinking, molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell culture techniques.

Credits: 1

Prerequisites

PS-II or PS-III Standing