The transition from classroom to workforce will be easier for Drake University pharmacy graduates, thanks to a number of technology upgrades in the Donald F. Davidson Pharmacy Practice Laboratory. Renovation of the lab was made possible through a gift from Drake University Board of Trustees member and alumnus Donald Davidson, along with a pharmacy system from PDX. The company is installing its Enterprise Pharmacy System (EPS) RapidFill. The lab offers students the opportunity to work with resources that are available in retail pharmacy settings. “This environment is the same as real-life pharmacies — the same equipment, software, process — eliminating the worries about technology and allowing the students to focus on patient care,” says Heidi Price, instructor of pharmacy practice.

There is another benefit, as Jeff Ferris, PDX president, explains: “PDX partners who hire Drake pharmacists receive not only qualified pharmacist but also pharmacists who are immediately ready to go to work using software they have already been trained to use. One vice president of pharmacy estimated this advantage could save his department as much as $6,000 for each pharmacist already trained on EPS RapidFill.”