Beginning pharmacy school can be a daunting prospect for new students. They must navigate an unfamiliar campus, adjust to a demanding class schedule, and master challenging concepts and techniques. Luckily, one session held at the start of the new school year ensures students begin their studies with one essential tool already in their kit: artificial intelligence, or AI.
The Foundations in AI Seminar was conceived by the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s AI task force, which identifies where and how AI should be integrated into the Pharm.D. curriculum. Offered since fall 2025, this two-hour seminar introduces students to the role and impact of AI in pharmacy education and practice. Students learn the fundamentals of how AI tools work, including an introduction to large language models, how to select the most appropriate model for a given task and strategies for effective prompting.
The seminar also reviews the college’s policies and expectations regarding AI use in learning and assessment to help students use these tools responsibly and ethically. It concludes with practical examples from both faculty and students that demonstrate how AI can support learning and productivity.
“Our goal is for students to leave the seminar feeling more confident in their ability to use the AI tools and resources available to them at UF,” said Kaitlin Alexander, Pharm.D., BCCCP, FCCM, a clinical associate professor of pharmacy education and practice and faculty lead for the college’s AI task force. “We also want them to better understand the impact AI is already having on pharmacy practice, and to recognize the importance of staying informed as these technologies continue to evolve. By establishing a common foundation early in the program, we hope to ensure all students have the knowledge and skills needed to use these tools effectively, regardless of their prior experience.”
Alexander said the UF College of Pharmacy is uniquely positioned to offer this training. Its faculty and staff are nationally and internationally recognized innovators who are researching and publishing on the use of AI in pharmacy education and practice. At the same time, UF has established itself as a hub for AI-powered resources.
“UF has made significant investments in AI resources and learning tools, including Navigator AI Chat, Navigator Notebook, Navigator Tutor and Microsoft Copilot. We want to ensure students are aware of these resources, understand how to access them and learn how to use them effectively to support their learning,” Alexander said. “By learning from faculty who are already incorporating these tools into their work, students gain a better understanding of how AI can be used responsibly throughout their pharmacy training and future careers.”
During the seminar, first-year pharmacy student Amanda Wilcox listened intently to a series of faculty and student presentations, already strategizing about how she’ll incorporate this information into her future pharmacy practice.
“Today, we focused on how to properly prompt the AI in order to get the information that we want. I learned that it’s not meant to be used like a search engine,” she said. “In the near future, I’ll use these techniques to clarify concepts in class, but this seminar also prepares us for the long-term. AI will inevitably become more integrated into our profession, so this gives us a leg up in understanding how to use it in our practice.”