Pharmacist Advanced Training Functional Medicine / Supplements | Microcredentials On-Demand 6.5 credit hours

This course is a practical guide to functional medicine, introducing pharmacists to its core principles and their application within patient-centered pharmacy practice.

Designed as a microcredential program, this course awards a digital badge upon successful completion and focuses on practical strategies for supporting whole-person care through lifestyle, nutrition, and evidence-based therapeutic approaches.

The program explores how functional medicine frameworks can complement traditional pharmacy practice by helping pharmacists identify root contributors to chronic health conditions and support long-term patient wellness.

Topics covered include:

  • Core principles and foundations of functional medicine
  • Systems-based approaches to chronic disease management
  • Lifestyle factors impacting health, including nutrition, sleep, stress, and physical activity
  • Evidence-based supplementation and therapeutic considerations
  • Patient assessment and identification of modifiable risk factors
  • Strategies for patient education, goal setting, and behavior change support
  • Collaborative care approaches within interdisciplinary healthcare teams
  • Opportunities to incorporate functional medicine principles into pharmacy services

Pharmacists will also develop skills in evaluating lifestyle-related contributors to disease states, supporting individualized patient care plans, and integrating wellness-focused interventions into existing pharmacy practice models.

This training is designed to help pharmacists expand patient care services, strengthen chronic disease support strategies, and enhance patient engagement through a more holistic approach to care.

Earn your microcredential and explore practical applications of functional medicine in pharmacy practice – enroll today.

Functional Medicine - Pharmacist

Claim Your Badge

You will receive an email from Credly (our credential partner), after you complete the course, inviting you to claim your digital badge for Functional Medicine - Pharmacist. This will allow you to easily share your achievement with colleagues, managers, and your professional network on LinkedIn and other platforms. When you receive the email, please click the button and create an account on Credly.com so that you can “accept” the badge.

Need help? Find a step-by-step tutorial video at this link.

Module 1: Foundational Concepts

Upon successful completion of this module, pharmacists should be able to:
1. Compare and contrast the functional medicine (FM) and traditional models of medicine
2. Explain the systems of FM and its patient-centered approach
3. Review the evidence supporting the principles and practices of FM
4. Discuss the impact of FM on the reduction of chronic disease in the United States
5. Recognize how FM can be incorporated into the practice of pharmacy 

Module 2: Core Imbalances

Upon successful completion of this module, pharmacists should be able to:
1. Explain the role of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in chronic disease and the impact of GI integrity on overall health
2. Recognize how inflammation and immune dysregulation contribute to systemic disease
3. Describe the metabolic pathways of macronutrients and their impact on mitochondrial function and cellular energy production
4. Summarize the mechanisms of energy regulation and the role of oxidative stress in cellular function
5. Discuss the relationship between such factors as chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and stress in contributing to cardiovascular risk
6. Illustrate the interconnectedness of hormonal physiology, the stress response, and metabolic dysfunction in maintaining health
7. Assess treatments for structural integrity issues that can cause pain and headaches
8. Analyze core imbalances in a FM case study

Module 3: Patient Assessments

Upon successful completion of this module, pharmacists should be able to:
1. Review the approach for conducting a clinical history using FM tools
2. Describe how to identify triggering events that impact function and health
3. Recognize how lifestyle factors influence various physiological processes and contribute to overall well-being
4. Summarize the laboratory tests and devices that help to evaluate physiological function and health
5. Select appropriate laboratory tests for a FM patient using a case scenario

Module 4: Treatment Principles

Upon successful completion of this module, pharmacists should be able to:
1. Recognize how complementary therapies of FM can be incorporated into conventional pharmacy practice
2. Identify common conditions where FM can be applied to enhance patient outcomes
3. Outline the different treatment modalities in FM and their potential benefits in managing chronic diseases
4. Formulate personalized FM treatment plans and thorough counseling using case scenarios
5. Describe the main uses, appropriate dilutions, and safety profiles for common essential oils
6. Review the lab analysis report of an essential oil to determine the quality of the essential oil
7. Educate a patient about a safe course of aromatherapy based on their medical needs and lifestyle

Module 5: Pharmacy Practice Service Implementation

Upon successful completion of this module, pharmacists should be able to:
1. Discuss the opportunities and challenges of developing a FM service
2. Outline the key elements and steps required to initiate a FM service
3. Formulate a strategic plan for delivering a FM service
4. Identify strategies for expanding services through community collaborations and partnerships

Faculty

Corine T. Ferebee, PharmD

Disclosures:

Corine T. Ferebee has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Josie Phillips-Ross PharmD, ABAAHP, FAAMM

Disclosures:

Josie Phillips-Ross has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Emlah Tubuo, PharmD, MSc

Disclosures:

Emlah Tubuo has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Annette Duncan, PharmD

Disclosures:

Annette Duncan has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Course Details