Headache education in colleges of pharmacy

OBJECTIVE: To assess primary headache education in colleges of pharmacy during the 2000-2001 academic year. DESIGN: A survey seeking to quantify students' primary headache education was mailed to all 82 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy member schools. RESULTS: A usable response was obtained from 65 of 74 answering schools. Per professional year, the average pharmacy student receives 1 headache core course contact hour and no headache elective course contact hours. Two schools offer clerkships devoted exclusively to headaches. Six schools offer clerkships in which a student could expect to focus on headache therapy at least 25% of the time. Seven schools plan to alter their current curriculum to include more headache education, all via additional lectures. CONCLUSIONS: Few opportunities exist for students to learn about primary headaches in colleges of pharmacy. Given the high prevalence and poor medical management of primary headache disorders along with the commonality of pharmacist-headache patient interactions occurring in practice, pharmacy schools should evaluate and alter their curriculum to include more primary headache education.