A Massive Open Online Course on Pharmacogenomics: Not Just Disruptive Innovation but a Possible Solution

Abstract

In 2005, Latif stated “there is significant opportu­ nity to deliver pharmacogenetics and pharmaco­ genomics educational content via internet­based instruction” [1]. Internet­based instruction is not a new concept and has probably been adopted, in part, at most US colleges/schools of pharmacy. Curricula courses may provide an electronic course syllabus, have didactic lectures recorded and then ‘podcasted’, or have utilized online dis­ cussion forums between faculty and students. Recently, there has been significant attention and proliferation of massive online open courses (MOOCs). The general intent of a MOOC is to provide an open access, distance­learning model, aiming for large­scale interactive par­ ticipation. Instructional design approaches of MOOCs include peer­review, group collabora­ tion and automated feedback by way of quizzes and exams [101]. In the last year, major MOOC developments have occurred, including increased acceptance by public and private higher educa­ tion institutions, the ability to obtain course credit, and the abundance of content in areas including science, engineering, mathematics, humanities and economics [102]. Creating a MOOC on pharmacogenomics, through col­ laboration with several US colleges/schools of pharmacy known for their expertise in this field, has the potential to solve the challenges of inadequate depth of instruction and the lack of resources for recruiting and/or training faculty in pharmacogenomics. Pharmacogenomic/pharmacogenetic instruc­ tion in US colleges/schools of pharmacy has increased over the last several years [2,3]. The majority of colleges/schools provide 10–30 hours of didactic teaching focusing on basic genetic concepts and terminology, genetic variability impacting drug response, and clinical utility of pharmacogenetic testing [3]. In addition, there are numerous reports of several colleges/schools of