Nashville Standard

Pharmacy students at Belmont recently expanded their skillset by earning certificates for successful completion of an introduction to Python course as part of a larger Healthcare Informatics track. Python is a powerful programming language that is widely used in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence. This skillset translates to pharmaceutical studies by allowing practitioners to analyze large amounts of patient data, recognize trends, then craft protocols based on the data.

The course covered programming basics with Python, while also providing an introduction to machine learning and artificial intelligence concepts. Students applied this knowledge to projects tackling real-world problems.  

Having provided a broader understanding of Python and data concepts, students and faculty in the pharmacy department feel that the course was a valuable experience for the pharmacy students and has opened new opportunities for them. “Healthcare informatics represents the dividing line between yesterday’s pharmacists and the pharmacists of tomorrow,” said Dr. Anthony Blash, associate professor of healthcare informatics and analytics at Belmont. “In a learning health system, it is critical to be able to manage health-related data in the delivery of optimal medication-related patient care and health outcomes. By acquiring these skills our students are prepared to improve health care quality, safety and efficiency through the use of health-related data.”

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