The public health pharmacist and the role of the pharmacy curriculum: A call to action

The role a pharmacist can play in the public health arena has been discussed in great detail over the past decade, and in 2004, public health objectives were placed in the Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) Educational Outcomes. Despite these directives and the need for pharmacists in our broken healthcare system, comprehensive implementation and recognition of pharmacists in public health has yet to be realized. Therefore, the following action steps are recommended: dialog with public health departments, expansion of public health in pharmacy curricula, hands-on public health learning, participation in state and national public health associations, advocacy, and restructuring the roles of a public health pharmacist. These steps will further the development and recognition of pharmacists as public health professionals.