Historically, the fundamental role of pharmacists as healthcare practitioners is to distribute drugs that have been prescribed by a prescriber to patients. In more modern times, pharmacists advise patients and health care providers on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications, and act as a learned intermediary between a prescriber and a patient. Pharmacists monitor the health and progress of patients to ensure the safe and effective use of medication. Pharmacists may practice compounding; however, most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. In many jurisdictions, pharmacists have prescriptive authority to either independently prescribe under their own authority or in collaboration with a primary care physician through an agreed upon protocol.
The Department of Pharmacy Practice supports the College of Pharmacy’s vision by:
- Providing education to students that enables them to acquire in-depth expertise in the pharmaceutical, social/economic management, and related sciences in order to function as educators and scientists in higher education, government service, and the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries
- Serving the community by engaging in scholarly activities that lead to improvements in healthcare delivery and enhance health outcomes
- Contributing to the profession of pharmacy by participation in leadership roles in pharmaceutical organizations and community programs
- Providing innovative pharmacy services across the continuum of care to the diverse patient populations of the Mountain Home Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Quillen Medical College
- Advocating professional roles for pharmacists on local, state, national and international levels.
