U of T's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy launches global studies in pharmacy certificate

The University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is launching a new certificate available to all Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students who are interested in furthering their knowledge in global health and Indigenous studies.

The new Certificate in Global Studies in Pharmacy will introduce students to foundational competencies in global health education while helping them gain experience working with diverse, vulnerable populations across the province and the globe.

“From student groups like the ‘Global Medicine Initiative’ and ‘Pharmacy Awareness of Indigenous Health’ to faculty member involvement with the World Health Organization, our faculty has a long-standing history of involvement with global health research, education and practice,” says Tom Brown, associate professor and lead of the global scholars initiative at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.

“This certificate answers a desire from our students to further specialize in this important area and differentiate themselves upon graduation.”

The new certificate is available to all PharmD students entering their third year and was created in connection with U of T’s global university initiative. Students will have the opportunity to further their knowledge of global health through several elective courses, including “Global Pharmaceutical Policy” and “Indigenous Health,” along with an advanced pharmacy practice experience focused on global health in their fourth year.

“With the world being as connected as it is, global health education allows pharmacy students to have a greater understanding of the ethics, cross-cultural values and communication involved in global health,” says Shreeya Thakrar, a fourth-year pharmacy student.

“The opportunity for students to focus their learning towards a number of different areas related to global health will result in skills that can be applied at any scale, even locally, to patients and communities for better patient care.”

Read about U of T’s global scholar and global citizen initiatives