PHOTOS COURTESY DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

Duquesne is training hundreds of pharmacists and pharmacy students to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations. This university is offering the American Pharmacist Association Pharmacy Based Immunization Delivery program, a 20-hour certificate training program that prepares pharmacists to safely administer vaccines. 

“As the first phase of vaccinations are completed and the vaccine becomes more widely available, there will be a large need for pharmacists and other health professionals to provide vaccinations to the public,” says Tiffany Hatcher, assistant professor of pharmacy at Duquesne, in a press release.

Since the beginning of 2021, Duquesne has provided this training to more than 400 pharmacy students, who can give vaccinations under the supervision of an authorized pharmacist. 

Due to the pandemic, the university has transitioned the certificate training program into a virtual format that addresses topics including immunization needs and injection techniques, which will be assessed by professional evaluators. 

Vaccination provider sites are expected eventually to take place in large outpatient centers or drive-thru clinics, according to the health department plan. 

More information about Duquesne’s certification program can be found here.