2021 NSU Fact Book

74 NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY In addition to the professional program, the college offers postgraduate residency training in a variety of clinical settings—including primary care, pediatric, low vision, cornea, and contact lens optometry residencies within The Eye Care Institute and hospital-based and ocular disease residencies at affiliated clinical sites. The college also offers a master’s degree in Clinical Vision Research. This online program equips the optometrist, optometric educator, and other health professionals with the in-depth knowledge necessary to conduct scientific research directed at clinically relevant questions. The program also provides a bridge between clinical care and vision science. The college conducts a wide range of research in ocular disease, optics, contact lenses, autism, myopia control, traumatic brain injury, and vision science. These research projects are funded through grants from internal funds, private companies, and the National Eye Institute. NSU’s College of Optometry is the only optometric academic institution in the state of Florida. Further- more, the college benefits from the integrated, interprofessional health care programs of the university’s Health Professions Division. The College of Optometry admitted its charter class in 1989 and its graduates provide primary eye care as well as specialty care in such areas as contact lenses; ocular disease; low-vision rehabilitation; and binocular, geriatric, and pediatric vision evaluation and treatment. Over the 32-year history of the College of Optometry, alumni have been realizing their potential by leading the optometric profession forward and being recognized for their achievements as outstanding clinicians, educators, entrepreneurs, and leaders in professional associations and their communities. College of Pharmacy NSU’s College of Pharmacy (COP), an internationally known leader in pharmacy education and research, provides a competitive edge in the science and practice of pharmacy to future pharmacists and researchers who will improve health through discovery, innovation, advocacy, and the delivery of optimal patient care. The College of Pharmacy, accredited by the Accredi- tation Council for Pharmacy Education, admitted its first class in 1987, becoming the first college of pharmacy in South Florida. The College of Pharmacy facilities are headquartered at the Health Professions Division on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus and in NSU’s regional campuses in Palm Beach, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experience sites are located nationwide. A pharmacy and a pharmacy clinic are located on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. The Healing and Medicinal Garden, a project located on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus and spearheaded by the College of Pharmacy and some of Florida’s leading horticulturists and landscape architects, serves as a repository of living medicinal plants and gives students first-hand knowledge of the plants’ properties and roles. The professional responsibilities of pharmacists are expanding rapidly to meet the demands of a dynamic health care system. Prospective drug use review and the offering of consultation services are now manda- tory in all states. Through the provision of pharma- ceutical care, an increasing number of pharmacists are involved with comprehensive medication manage- ment. As pharmacists move more directly into patient- centered care, more of the technical functions of prescription dispensing are being carried out by technicians and automated technology. However, the ultimate responsibility for what takes place at the drug-patient interface still remains with the pharmacist. PHARM.D. DEGREE The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) is awarded after successful completion of professional study in the college and can be completed at the Fort Lauderdale/ Davie Campus, the Palm Beach Campus, or the Puerto Rico Regional Campus. An interactive block curriculum allows students to focus on learning and applying pharmaceutical principles through active learning. Each didactic block provides foundation material, opportunities to apply the material learned, and a focus on the use of drugs in the disease process. In addition, students develop skills essential for Colleges and Academic Centers