Development of a Clinical Pharmacology Graduate Program at the University of Kentucky.
This paper presents a summary of the philosophy, mechanism and possible outcomes of a graduate program initiative at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. The program is intended to develop pharmacy trained specialists who independently will derive new knowledge through observation, study and experimentation that is focused on drug therapy outcomes in patients, and the factors and mechanisms determining those outcomes. Successful completion of this “Clinical Pharmacology Program” would ultimately lead to the PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, the umbrella graduate program at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. This program is designed for individuals holding the PharmD degree who are interested in a rigorous, mechanistic approach to problems in clinical pharmacology and in establishing themselves as independent scientists through: intense clinical experience in a medical specialty of interest, state-of-the-art course work, and integrated laboratory-based and clinical dissertation research. It is emphasized that this program will continue to evolve in response to institutional and disciplinary needs and opportunities.