Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2020
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Pharmacy Administration
First Advisor
Erin Holmes
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The teaching of performance enhancing drugs in U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy is necessary to better help patients who are athletes especially those who compete in high-level athletics such as the Olympics or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). There is no master list for banned substances, they differ for each organization and have many exceptions. Pharmacists can play a key role in preventing unintentional disqualifications of athletes as there are many medications considered performance enhancing drugs including some supplements and stimulants. For example, commonly used cold medications may contain pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, a banned substance in the world of athletics, with both the athlete and the pharmacist unaware of its status. The objectives of the study were to determine whether a school or college of pharmacy offers any amount of teaching about performance enhancing drugs, the extent of which the topic is incorporated into the curriculum, and if the school or college will offer related content in the future if not currently. Another objective of the study was to determine whether the institutions that the schools and colleges of pharmacy are associated with have intercollegiate athletic programs and whether they offer PharmD curriculum that includes performance enhancing drugs. A final objective of the study was to determine whether different regions of the United States have influence on whether schools or colleges of pharmacy offer PharmD curriculum that includes performance enhancing drugs. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was used to collect data from 20 different schools and colleges of pharmacy. The respondents reported whether their institution currently offers a course about or with content relating to performance enhancing drugs. Follow-up questions about the extent of the course in its information and placement in the curriculum were also asked. Most respondents reported that their institution does not have a course that discusses performance enhancing drugs, nor will they have one in the immediate future. This could be improved if the discussion about pharmacist involvement in sports pharmacy increases and its benefits become more widely known and recognized.
Recommended Citation
Green, Sara Dorothy, "The Teaching of Performance Enhancing Drugs in U.S. Schools and Colleges of Pharmacy" (2020). Honors Theses. 1472.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1472
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