Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science
Baltimore Pharmacy Practice Laboratory
Dispensing is the enduring and traditional role of pharmacists in community and hospital pharmacies. In the pharmacy practice lab, student pharmacists must prepare prescribed medications for mock patients, evaluate the appropriatiateness of drug therapy, verify the dosage regimens, and counsel patients on their medications.
A student must demonstrate knowledge of nonprescription medications, self-care and the impact of proper medication usage during patient interactions. Accurate drug information, side effects and precautions are also critical areas of knowledge for pharmacists to prepare him or her for critical roles in preventing prescription errors and ensuring quality control. Since a majority of our graduates begin their careers in community pharmacy, they must also be well prepared to practice effectively in high volume ambulatory settings.
The Baltimore practice lab is outfitted with prescription processing workstations and an automated dispensing system. By next year, ten new private counseling rooms with video capabilities will allow students to strengthen their patient counseling skills in a practice setting.
A team of faculty and residents oversee the student pharmacists in medication management, dispensing and patient counseling and patient assessment. “Students must identify and solve prescribing and dispensing errors, drug-drug interactions, and manage side-effects,” remarks Cherokee Layson-Wolf, PharmD, assistant professor and co-coursemaster of the Patient-Centered Pharmacy Practice and Management course.
The practice lab facilities are a resource to all of Maryland. The Maryland Board of Pharmacy inspectors are trained in the practice laboratory under the guidance of Assistant Professor Alfred Abramson, RPh, director of the practice lab. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores uses the lab in its video training segments.
See also the PPS Shady Grove Practice Lab.