Pharmacogenomics and Educational Improvements for Clinical Applications

Abstract

The ideal of individualized patient care is not a uniquely new concept. The history of pharmacogenetics as a key component of the concept of individualized patient care is long, and there have been many attempts to make pharmacogenetic testing in the clinic a reality. While this technology is widely available, it is also widely unused. In addition, the use of electronic medical records (EMR) has become standard under the Affordable Care Act, and pharmacogenetics implementation is being proposed under the Precision Medicine Initiative. The purpose of this study is to investigate the missing links between genetic testing for personalized drug prescription in clinical settings and the use of electronic records to maximize the use of this information. This includes exploring previous attempts at implementing personalized medicine and survey of current medical students to gain understanding of medical school curriculum involving pharmacogenomics. Suggestions will also be given to propose additions to the medical school curriculum that might help address concerns about the limitations of pharmacogenomics.