Waterloo integrating ChatGPT into pharmacy course

The University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy is set to use ChatGPT in a course for pharmacists and pharmacy students. The school will incorporate the artificial intelligence (AI) chat bot into a course called 'Management of Oral Anticoagulant Therapy (MOAT Online),' which was created by Jeff Nagge, a clinical associate professor at the School of Pharmacy, and Marie Lippens, associate director of WatSPEED, Waterloo’s professional and continuing education hub. The course teaches pharmacists and pharmacy students about warfarin management. It currently uses uses a generative AI platform, but plans to switch to ChatGPT this coming spring. In the course, pharmacists go to a virtual “clinic” using the AI. Pharmacists meet eight AI patients that represent the diverse patients whom pharmacists see in practice. They learn which questions to ask and how to manage warfarin doses. Read: ChatGPT, unnecessary paperwork and Canadian physicians Waterloo created the virtual clinic in partnership with Ametros Learning, a company that specializes in learning modules. “In a real-life clinic setting, the teaching depends on what patient walks through the doors,” Nagge said in a story published on the university’s website. “With the software, I’ve created a roster of AI patients that present to the virtual clinic with the most commonly encountered situations a pharmacist will experience when managing warfarin therapy to ensure that the learner is prepared for real-world scenarios.” Previously, pharmacists had to travel to Kitchener-Waterloo to spend three days at his clinic, after completing a self-learning portion of the course. But the cost and time of that travel were a barrier for some. With the new program, learners could be anywhere in the world. Many are pharmacists from Nova Scotia, says Nagge. Now, Nagge is working on upgrading the current system to ChatGPT. He says it will make the discussions with virtual patients more realistic. “There were no issues with the older system, but ChatGPT will enhance the evaluation portion of the course,” Nagge said. “It will recognize multiple ways a learner may phrase answers which enhances my ability to provide specific feedback.” Read: University of Alberta researchers eye artificial intelligence to weigh opioid risks

Waterloo integrating ChatGPT into pharmacy course

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