Leading the Nation in Diagnosis Education College of Pharmacy Sets the Standard for Pharmacy Training
Now entering its eighth year, the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP) was the first pharmacy school in the nation to require a dedicated, stand-alone Diagnosis course. This innovative approach is now the new national standard: beginning July 2025, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) requires basic diagnostic instruction at all accredited U.S. pharmacy schools.
Since the course’s inception, Mandy Jones, PharmD, MPAS, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science, has served as coordinator, earning state, national, and international recognition for her expertise. This summer, Jones delivered the keynote address at the 2025 MyDispense USA Virtual Meeting, highlighting innovative ways the international organization can integrate diagnosis and diagnostic reasoning practice into pharmacy education software.
She has led two national diagnostic training workshops for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and was invited to develop and deliver a “how-to teach diagnosis" workshop for faculty at the University of Tennessee this summer.
At the state level, Jones is helping to shape regulations that govern pharmacy practice in Kentucky. She presented at the Kentucky Pharmacists Association (KPhA) annual meeting on the role of diagnosis in pharmacy practice and was recently appointed to the KPhA Standard of Care Implementation Task Force. Through this work, she is bringing diagnosis into focus not only in the classroom but also within the standards that guide pharmacists’ daily practice.
Her work is interprofessional at its core. Jones is collaborating with the founding physicians of the Community Improving Diagnosis in Medicine (CIDM) to develop a comprehensive diagnosis education workshop for pharmacy faculty and is working with AACP on a proposal for making the program nationally available.
“Pharmacists are already contributing to the diagnostic process every day, even if our profession hasn’t always called it that,” Jones said. “Diagnosis training ensures we speak the same language as other health professions and understand how our unique perspective fits into the broader process. Watching students grow in their clinical reasoning skills and hearing from them later about how this course transformed their confidence and patient care is why I keep doing this work.”
Frank Romanelli, PharmD, associate dean for academic programs, says UK’s pioneering role is shaping the future of pharmacy education.
“We are aspiring to graduate pharmacists who can walk into any healthcare setting and contribute to complex clinical decision-making, both today and with a bold vision towards the future,” Romanelli said. “This skill imparts an edge in the job market, strengthens interprofessional trust, and ultimately means better outcomes and access for patients. That’s the kind of leadership UKCOP is known for locally, nationally, and globally.”
Diagnostic education represents a paradigm shift in pharmacy training. The National Academy of Medicine has identified diagnostic error as a major health challenge, emphasizing the importance of diagnostic training for all health professions. By equipping future pharmacists with these skills, UKCOP is helping to build a healthcare system where every professional understands and can clearly articulate their role in diagnosis.
From course design to national collaboration, the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy is setting the pace for modern pharmacy education and shaping the way diagnosis will be taught and practiced for years to come.