by Sarah Mummert, Student Public Relations Writer
The health care professions are becoming increasingly interprofessional, and by offering a collaborative ethics course for students in Cedarville University’s doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and physician assistant (PA) programs, Cedarville is staying on the cutting edge.
The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) requires interprofessional education for most health care professionals.
When we redesigned the Pharm.D. curriculum, we looked for ways to enhance interprofessional collaboration in our programs,” said Dr. Justin Cole, director of the Center for Pharmacy Innovation and associate professor of pharmacy practice.
The Pharm.D. and PA students meet in the same classroom, where they engage in group discussions to walk through case analyses and work through ethical dilemmas.
“This kind of collaboration in the realm of ethics makes sense, as pharmacists and PAs will be working together in the field to meet patients’ needs,” said Jason Grahame, the PA program director. “Understanding multiple perspectives opens channels of communication, and understanding ethical dilemmas from other health care professionals’ points of view can equip them to serve one another.”
“Ethics is truly at the nexus of faith and practice,” said Cole. “At Cedarville, we’re graduating PAs and pharmacists who have deep ethical commitments — not just instinctive commitments, but ones that are well thought out.”
The mission for Cedarville’s school of pharmacy is to prepare competent professionals who will bring a compassionate, biblical perspective to their profession. By viewing ethical issues through the lens of faith integration, students learn to serve patients with their patients’ best interests at heart. As a result, students are prepared to enter the field and think well about the decisions they are making.
Cedarville University, a Baptist institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by the Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.