Background: Community pharmacy practice is changing to include pharmacist-administered immunization. As this change occurs, there is a need to understand pharmacy students' attitudes and interests regarding this new role. Objective: To examine the attitudes and interests of pharmacy students in administering immunizations and to use the information obtained to design and implement an immunization training program within an existing course in the PharmD curriculum at a college of pharmacy. Methods: A survey questionnaire was distributed to the first- and second-year PharmD students during the fall semester of the 2003–2004 academic year. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to report the data. Results: Two hundred nine surveys were distributed to first- and second-year students, and 172 were completed, yielding a response rate of 82%. Survey results showed that 76.7% of the students were aware that pharmacists can legally administer adult immunizations in Ohio, 94.2% think pharmacist-administered adult immunization is an important healthcare service, and 93.6% indicated they would be willing to administer adult immunizations after graduating. Conclusions: With the incorporation of an immunization training program into the curriculum, students can be well prepared and confident in administering adult immunizations. The immunization training program can also provide students with an opportunity to become involved in immunization as advocates or facilitators.

Immunization provides an important means for preventing communicable diseases. In recent years, administering immunizations has become part of contemporary pharmacy practice. Some view pharmacist-administered immunizations as a significant advance in the practice of pharmacy for providing care to patients. In Ohio, pharmacists may administer immunizations and pharmacists are not required to notify the patient’s physician or the local health department. There is a need for pharmacy students to obtain immunization certification so they are prepared for practice in the pharmacies of today. Including a training program for pharmacy students as immunizers is consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education Educational Outcomes 2004. The objective of this article is to describe an immunization certification program for pharmacists and pharmacy students based on the requirements of Ohio Law and guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Program structures for certification programs for pharmacists and pharmacy students are described and include an immunology review, a review of specific immunization medications, a review of aseptic technique, administration techniques, proper disposal procedures, accidental needle sticks, and basic life support training. Teaching methodologies are identified and methods of assessment for mastery of the course elements are listed.

A $4 generic drug program implemented at a 340B pharmacy increased patients' access to medication and increased the pharmacy's prescription volume while contributing to an increase in the pharmacy's net revenue.