P3 students in the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) elective were all successfully certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) as ACLS providers.
“Very few pharmacy schools in the country offer an ACLS class with AHA Provider certification,” said Kelly Rogers, professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science and course director for the elective. “This gives students, especially those interested in applying for post-graduate training, a unique edge to stand apart from other applicants.”
Dr. Rogers said having a pharmacist present on hospital code teams that respond to cardiac or respiratory arrests can reduce medication errors and mortality. She said for students interested in post-graduate training or working in a hospital or institutional setting, this certification can be especially useful and even save lives.
The College of Pharmacy has been offering this unique elective since 2006.
