LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Archana Raghavan
I would like to thank Jeannette Y. Wick, RPh, MBA, FASCP, for her informative article, “Increased Use of Medical Marijuana: Skepticism vs. Evidence.”1 Her evidence supporting an increase in medical marijuana use and inquiries among older adults demonstrates the necessity of pharmacists’ knowledge of its indications and the laws that govern its use. As a recent PharmD graduate, I recall encountering patients during my advanced pharmacy rotations who benefited from medical cannabis, but I was unprepared to provide education or recommendations for its use. Medical marijuana is a treatment staple for many, and it would be a disservice not to teach student pharmacists about it.
The insecurity of pharmacy students on the topic of medical marijuana can be carried into their careers as senior care pharmacists. To improve this, a future educational direction should include surveying curriculum committees to understand willingness to adapt to unconventional topics. Changes to curriculum will not be successfully implemented if those with the authority to do so are not comfortable with teaching the topics. A study conducted by Carter and colleagues in 2011 showed that pharmacy curriculum committee conservatism remained unchanged from 1994.2 Furthermore, only one in three schools gave student members the ability to vote on curriculum changes. Student pharmacists are young professionals who can identify gaps in the curriculum because of their recent experiential training. Involving current students and recent graduates can help school of pharmacy curriculum committees identify inadequacies. Student pharmacists will come across a wide variety of populations in their work career and should be equipped with the information needed to effectively counsel patients.
As of February 2018, there are an estimated 2.3 million patients nationwide who are registered to use medical marijuana, thus showing the importance of student experience with this topic.3 As Wick mentions, medical marijuana continues to carry a stigma in society. Marijuana users may be depicted as outcasts, and pharmacy school leaders can be uncomfortable incorporating this use into their curriculum. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has continued to consider marijuana a schedule I substance. By basing pharmacy curriculum off societal views, though, we are training student pharmacists to negatively judge patients who find benefit from using medical marijuana. Future pharmacists should be inclusive of all patient populations—regardless of the type of treatment they choose to use. Including medical marijuana in pharmacy school curricula will help to achieve this goal.
For a developing and altering medical world, it is pertinent that the traditional pharmacy curriculum adjusts to clinical developments to prepare students to practice competently. The real-life applicability and education about medical cannabis is important to student pharmacists, especially for those primarily interested in caring for the older population. Inclusion of this curriculum should occur in a timely manner.
Archana Raghavan, PharmD
UPMC St. Margaret Pharmacy Practice Resident Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
REFERENCES
1. Wick JY. Increased use of medical marijuana: skepticism vs. evidence. Consult Pharm 2018;33:680-9.
2 Carter JT, Draugalis JR, Bruce SP et al. The role of curric- ulum committees in pharmacy education. Am J Pharm Ed 2011;75:154.
3. Marijuana Policy Project. Medical marijuana patient numbers. Available at https://www.mpp.org/issues/medical-marijuana/ state-by-state-medical-marijuana-laws/medical-marijuana- patient-numbers/. Accessed January 30, 2019.
AUTHOR’S REPLY
Thank you for your kind words. Please know that at
the University of Connecticut (UCONN) where I teach, and across our small state, education on marijuana
and its components for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is robust. Connecticut is one of the few states that incorporates the pharmacist into the medical marijuana process. All medical marijuana dispensaries are pharmacist-staffed. At UCONN, it’s a focus of education both in the classroom and in our continuing education (CE) program. Students are involved in curriculum development, and our CE office also
surveys and responds to learner needs. Consequently, we discuss these medicines in the classroom and
offer accredited CE courses on this topic (see http:// ce.pharmacy.uconn.edu/). As you note, it would be ideal if across the country, pharmacy schools and continuing education programs would do the same.
Jeannette Y. Wick, RPh, MBA, FASCP
Doi:10.4140/TCP.n.2019.220.
