Table 5.

Examples of Topics and Learning Activities in Clinical Pharmacogenomics Didactic Courses

Topic	Hours	Sample Active Learning Exercise(s)
Fundamentals of human genetics and pharmacogenomics	2–4	Discussion board or in-class discussion activities Web-based self-directed learning activities Participatory genotyping Phenotyping exercise (e.g., phenylthiocarbamide [PTC] tasting)
Advanced concepts in pharmacogenomics (e.g., haplotypes, genome-wide approaches)	1–2
Genomic basis of disease and “omics” (i.e., genomics, proteomics, metabolomics)	1–2
Direct-to-consumer-based genotyping	1–2
Use of pharmacogenomic databases (e.g., PharmGKB)	2	Database activity/assignment in which students answer specific clinical questions
Commercially available genotyping tests: ordering, sample collection and processing, interpreting and evaluating results	2	Compare/contrast genetic testing processes described in the primary literature and assess tests for validity Interpret genotyping reports in the context of clinical cases.
Types of clinical pharmacogenomics evidence and guidelines	1–2	Compare/contrast clinical pharmacogenomics study designs. Compare/contrast guidelines for specific gene-drug pairs (e.g., CPIC, DPWG) Identify pharmacogenomics information in FDA labels Journal Club/evaluation activity
Interpretation of the clinical pharmacogenomics literature	1–2
Pharmacogenomics in the drug development and FDA approval process (e.g., ivacaftor)	1–2	Discussion board or in-class discussion activities (e.g., targeted therapies) Genomic data in alternative trial designs
Genetics and Clinical Pharmacology (i.e., drug metabolism, transport, PK, PD)	3–4	Integrated patient case activities which include lab reports, primary literature, CPIC guidelines, and a patient education component. Use of G3C pharmacogenomics cases. Use of real genomic data (if available) Interdisciplinary laboratory sample collection and result reporting exercise
Oncology: germline (e.g., thiopurines) and somatic (e.g., trastuzumab)	3–5
Drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions (i.e., abacavir, carbamazepine, phenytoin, allopurinol)	2–3
Infectious diseases (i.e., voriconazole, pegylated interferon)	1–2
Pain, neurology, psychiatry (i.e., codeine, phenytoin, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs)	2–4
Cardiology (e.g., clopidogrel, warfarin, statins)	2–4
Transplant (e.g., tacrolimus)	1–2
Controversial evidence (e.g., tamoxifen)	1
Ethical, social, and economic implications	1–2	Student debate activity/assignment
Clinical implementation (e.g., clinical decision support tools)	2–3	Student-led proposal/business and operational plan to establish new clinical pharmacogenomics service
Communicating pharmacogenomics information and recommendations	1–2	Role playing communication to patients or providers (e.g., think-pair-share activity)

^*Sample activities and assignments based upon authors’ experiences at the University of Florida (K.W.W.), University of Colorado (C.L.A.), Manchester University (D.F.K.), and University of Pittsburgh (P.E.E.).