SIUE Introduces Concurrent PharmD and MS in Healthcare Informatics

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill., Aug. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is introducing a concurrent Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Science in healthcare informatics (MSHI) program.

Healthcare informatics merges computer technology and clinical expertise to effectively organize, analyze, manage and use clinical knowledge and data for problem-solving and decision-making. Knowing that these skills are valuable to future pharmacists, SIUE now offers students the opportunity to obtain both degrees within 4 years.

"The new concurrent degree program will provide the opportunity for our graduates to incorporate information technology solutions into the medication-use process to further improve patient outcomes," SIUE School of Pharmacy Dean Mark Luer, PharmD, FCCP. "As healthcare has transitioned into the computer age, so has the profession of pharmacy. As such, the demand for pharmacists who can draw upon both the clinical and technological aspects of healthcare data has grown, as well. We are excited to offer this new program and look forward to the added opportunities that it will present for employers in this region."

Students will have the opportunity to work with pharmacists who are experts in the field of informatics to develop real-life projects that impact patient care. Students who have a desire to advance in the profession of pharmacy will be able to enter the work force prepared for positions beyond entry level.

Students pursuing this program will benefit from:

• An understanding of how informatics fit within the healthcare system and patient care
• Increased marketability for positions that combine these fields
• A growing field with opportunity for advancement
• Money saved from reduced credit hours

The combination of PharmD and Healthcare Informatics weds two highly regarded programs. The SIUE School of Pharmacy (SOP) Class of 2018 North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX) board pass rate was 97.3 percent, which was No. 1 in both Missouri and Illinois, and ranked 19th nationally among 135 pharmacy schools. The NAPLEX exam measures a student's knowledge of the practice of pharmacy. When all 10 graduating classes (2009-2018) are combined, SIUE's 95.9 percent first attempt board pass rate ranks No. 1 among the eight programs in Illinois and Missouri.

SIUE's master's in healthcare informatics has been ranked 18th nationally by onlinemasters.com in its 2019 Best Online Master's in Health Services Programs, while GradSchoolHub.com ranked the program among the Top 10 Most Affordable Master's in Health Informatics Online in 2018.

For more information, contact Monica Kempland, SOP Director of Student Services, at 618-650-5127 or mkempla(at)siue.edu, or visit http://www.siue.edu/pharmd-hcim.

By preparing the next generation of leaders in a knowledge-based economy, SIUE's Graduate School fulfills the region's demand for highly trained professionals. Graduate school offerings include arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, nursing and interdisciplinary opportunities. SIUE professors provide students with a unique integration of theoretical education and hands-on research experiences. Students can obtain graduate certificates or pursue master's degrees, and be part of a supportive learning and rich intellectual environment that is tailored to the needs of adult learners. The Graduate School raises the visibility of research at SIUE, which ranks highest among its Illinois Board of Higher Education peers in total research and development expenditures according to the National Science Foundation. Doctoral programs are available in the Schools of Education (EdD) and Nursing (DNP). The School of Engineering and the Department of Historical Studies feature cooperative doctoral programs (PhD), and the College of Arts and Sciences features an Environmental Resources and Policy cooperative PhD.

SOURCE SIUE