Earlier this summer, 21 pharmacists from across Minnesota traveled to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus for an in-person pharmacogenomics (PGx) workshop. The workshop was hosted by Drs. Jacob Brown and Pamala Jacobson, and Moataz Mohamed, MSc, for the 2023 cohort of pharmacists participating in the Applied Pharmacogenomics for the Healthcare Workforce program.
Pharmacists in the program recently completed a semester-long course in Advanced PGx along with supplementary educational opportunities. The program, funded by the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care within the Minnesota Department of Health, aims to educate and train pharmacists working in rural and / or underserved populations about the use of PGx in clinical care and to foster a community of practice centered around PGx.
The trainees visited OneOme, a local PGx testing company based in Northeast Minneapolis, to learn about the PGx testing process and to take a tour of their lab facilities. Drs. Brown and Jacobson also hosted an all-day case workshop where trainees discussed clinical PGx cases and learned from experts in the field. Upon completing the program the participating pharmacists will receive a certificate in PGx from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.