The 2016 ACCP Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit provides pharmacy educators with guidance on developing and updating pharmacotherapy curricula that equip graduates with the competencies needed to keep pace with major scientific developments and practice. Key factors considered in developing the 2016 ACCP pharmacotherapy toolkit include disease frequency, socioeconomic burden to society, and impact of pharmacist involvement in medication therapy.1,2 This release is an update to the 2009 pharmacotherapy toolkit.3 It is based on current evidence and input from pharmacotherapy experts and practicing clinical pharmacists.
A total of 276 diseases and content topics, each categorized into one of three competency-based tiers, comprise the 2016 ACCP pharmacotherapy toolkit. The three tiers are defined according to the competencies to be achieved by students in their education and training and by residents during their postgraduate year one (PGY1) and postgraduate year two (PGY2) residency training, or the competencies to be achieved by the learner through professional development while in practice, as needed for the competent provision of collaborative, direct patient care (Figure).
Figure. Definitions of the three competency-based tiers.
Tier 1 topics constitute the core pharmacotherapy curriculum that schools and colleges of pharmacy should provide to all students. Tier 2 topics are content areas that schools and colleges can consider depending on faculty expertise and the specialized practice opportunities available as well as the areas of interest in the particular programs.
Diseases and content topics included in the 2016 pharmacotherapy toolkit are grouped under three main categories: organ systems, special populations, and toxicologic disorders (Table 1). In addition, each disease/content topic is categorized according to the three competency-based tiers. Table 2 provides an example of the gastrointestinal disorders, categorized by tier.
The 2016 ACCP pharmacotherapy toolkit highlights key issues around the foundational knowledge that students must acquire for each of the diseases and topic areas and the importance of students' in-depth understanding of the patient care process, knowledge of individual drugs and drug classes, and individualization of therapy (including pharmacogenomics/pharmacogenetics).2 It also highlights that regional differences in disease prevalence and incidence rates must be considered by pharmacy educators as they apply the toolkit to the curricula at their own schools and colleges.
| Table 1. Categories for the Diseases and Content Topics |
| Organ systems (No. of diseases and content topics) |
- Cardiovascular disorders (23)
- Dermatologic disorders (10)
- Ear, nose, and throat disorders (7)
- Endocrine disorders (10)
- Gastrointestinal disorders (14)
- Gynecologic and obstetrical disorders (13)
- Hematologic disorders (8)
- Immunologic disorders (4)
- Infectious diseases (37)
- Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders (14)
- Neurologic disorders (16)
- Nutritional disorders (6)
- Oncologic disorders (16)
- Ophthalmic disorders (6)
- Psychiatric and behavioral disorders (17)
- Renal, fluid, and electrolyte disorders (15)
- Respiratory disorders (7)
- Urologic disorders (5)
|
| Special populations (No. of diseases and content topics) |
- Pediatrics (14)
- Geriatrics (5)
- Critically ill patients (8)
- Terminally ill patients (4)
|
| Toxicologic disorders |
| Includes 17 diseases and content topics |
| Table 2. Gastrointestinal Disorders, Grouped by Competency-Based Tiers |
| Tier 1 |
- Constipation
- Diarrhea (including traveler's diarrhea)
- Drug-induced hepatic disorders
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Nausea & vomiting, simple (e.g., acute viral gastroenteritis, overindulgence, motion sickness)
|
| Tier 2 |
- Cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and complications (e.g., portal hypertension, ascites, varices, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Nausea & vomiting, complex (e.g., postoperative, chemotherapy-induced)
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
- Peptic ulcer disease (including stress-related mucosal injury, gastrointestinal bleeding)
- Pancreatitis (acute, chronic, and drug-induced)
|
| Tier 3 |
- Celiac disease
- Liver diseases, metabolic (e.g., hemochromatosis, Wilson disease)
|
1. American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Schwinghammer TL, Crannage AJ, et al. 2016 ACCP Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit. Available at www.accp.com/docs/positions/misc/Toolkit_final.pdf. Accessed January 30, 2017.
2.Schwinghammer TL, Crannage AJ, Boyce EG, et al. The 2016 ACCP Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit. Pharmacotherapy 2016;36:e189-e194.
3.American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Slain D, Wong-Berringer A, et al. Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit 2009. Available at www.accp.com/docs/positions/misc/pharmacotherapytoolkit.pdf. Accessed June 14, 2016.