• Our study has identified common genetic risk factors for VTE among AAs.• These risk factors are associated with decreased thrombomodulin gene expression, suggesting a mechanistic link.Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common life-threatening cardiovascular condition in the United States, with African Americans (AAs) having a 30% to 60% higher incidence compared with other ethnicities. The mechanisms underlying population differences in the risk of VTE are poorly understood. We conducted the first genome-wide association study in AAs, comprising 578 subjects, followed by replication of highly significant findings in an independent cohort of 159 AA subjects. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between genetic variants and VTE risk. Through bioinformatics analysis of the top signals, we identified expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in whole blood and investigated the messenger RNA expression differences in VTE cases and controls. We identified and replicated single-nucleotide polymorphisms on chromosome 20 (rs2144940, rs2567617, and rs1998081) that increased risk of VTE by 2.3-fold (P < 6 3 10 27). These risk variants were found in higher frequency among populations of African descent (>20%) compared with other ethnic groups (<10%). We demonstrate that SNPs on chromosome 20 are cis-eQTLs for thrombomodulin (THBD), and the expression of THBD is lower among VTE cases compared with controls (P 5 9.87 3 10 26 ). We have identified novel polymorphisms associated with increased risk of VTE in AAs. These polymorphisms are predominantly found among populations of African descent and are associated with THBD gene expression. Our findings provide new molecular insight into a mechanism regulating VTE susceptibility and identify common genetic variants that increase the risk of VTE in AAs, a population disproportionately affected by this disease. (Blood. 2016;127(15):1923-1929

Objective. To provide an overview of the current status of advanced experience program as colleges and schools transition into the era of the PharmD as the sole professional degree. Methods. A survey of advanced clinical experience programs was conducted. Data from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Institutional Report Series, AACP Professional Experience Program surveys, and published literature in the field were obtained. The areas addressed included organization, administration, teaching faculty, financial support, and the most pressing issues facing program administrators Results. Of the 74 colleges and institutions with advanced experience programs in pharmacy, 27 had only students who were pursuing their first professional degree, 16 had only post-baccalaureate PharmD students, and the remaining 31 had students from both degree programs in their advanced experience program. Instructors were primarily full-time faculty members; however, joint and part-time faculty members, as well as adjunct faculty members, were involved in teaching, particularly in larger institutions. Of greatest concern was the shift in responsibility for experiential training programs from more experienced faculty members to younger, non-tenure-track faculty members. Conclusion. As colleges and schools of pharmacy begin offering the PharmD as the sole professional degree, the role of the advanced experience program in producing confident and competent pharmacy professionals becomes even more critical. A commitment must be made to develop and support highly skilled, experienced faculty members to develop and support the advanced experience programs.

Most US and Canadian medical schools have begun to incorporate pharmacogenomics material into their curriculum; however, the extent of instruction is less than that of US pharmacy schools. To adequately prepare physicians to practice in the era of personalized medicine, medical schools should be encouraged to incorporate greater pharmacogenomic material in their curriculum.