Journal Club

OJC History

Pam Jacobson, PharmD, FCCP, a Distinguished Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy (COP) and Becky Fahrenbruch, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, Medical Science Liaison, Genmab worked collaboratively to create the idea of an Oncology Journal Club (OJC) and began to co-coordinate this meeting in 2001. Our goals were simple: to get pharmacists interested in Oncology/Hematology together for journal club review and foster an environment for networking and education. Our first meeting was held on Jan 10, 2002.  We had 17 pharmacists and 6 pharmaceutical company representatives in attendance with a Journal Club Review titled “Epoetin alfa therapy increases hemoglobin levels and improves quality of life in patients with cancer-related anemia who are not receiving chemotherapy and patients with anemia who are receiving chemotherapy.” Wow have times changed!  To date, we have had 120  journal club meetings and average around 70 people in attendance.

OJC is an evening dinner program that begins in January and occurs every other month throughout the year.   The structure consists of a speaker/program from a pharmaceutical company (30 minutes with 10 minutes for questions) and 60 minute program/presentation developed for Pharmacist Continuing Education (CE).  A pharmaceutical company sponsor provides an educational speaker program and the meal.  The location of the meeting rotates between Minneapolis, St Paul and other suburbs in the Twin Cities area.  Attendees consist of pharmacists, U of Minnesota COP students, residents, drug representatives and medical science liaisons.  For the last 7 years, one hour of CE credit has been available for pharmacists through the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy.  We are very fortunate to have a wide variety of speakers including pharmacists, pharmacy residents (PGY1 and PGY2), U of Minnesota COP students and industry speakers (MDs, Medical Science Liaisons, Pharmacists, Nurse Practitioners, etc). Without our volunteer CE speakers and industry support, OJC would not be sustainable.