(457) ALFP Debate: Pharmacy Schools/Colleges Have Obligation to Train Students on AI Tools for Pharmacy Practice

Objective : To summarize arguments for and against schools/colleges of pharmacy being obligated to train students to use AI tools for pharmacy practice.

Methods: The Academic Leadership Fellows Program (ALFP) contributes to the development of leaders in the academy. ALFP Fellows participate in a debate on current topics in academic pharmacy. Members of Cohort 20 Team Hess and the ALFP Alumni team were assigned to the “pro” and “con” sides respectively. Extensive literature reviews were conducted using PubMed and other relevant sources, followed by collation and discussion of key themes.

Results: The Pro side emphasizes AI‘s current integration into healthcare, providing pharmacists with precise, evidence-based decision-making tools. Failing to integrate AI into pharmacy curricula risks rendering pharmacists technologically outdated compared to peers in other healthcare fields. Finally, pharmacy programs maintain a professional and ethical responsibility to train pharmacists in AI design, validation, and implementation.

The Con side argues that while AI may warrant inclusion in pharmacy curricula eventually, the timing is premature. Incorporating AI training could undermine the development of critical thinking skills among students and raise concerns about professionalism. Finally, there are significant ethical, regulatory, and liability issues surrounding the appropriate use of AI tools, which are not fully understood or proven to be accurate and unbiased.

Conclusions: Future pharmacists will practice within a landscape where digital health technologies, including AI, are anticipated to be integral to care delivery. Academy discussions can help identify relevant AI tools for pharmacy practice, determine incorporation into curricula, and establish optimal timing for integration into educational programs.