Addressing the workforce crisis: the professional aspirations of pharmacy students in Ghana |
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Authors: | Frances Owusu-Daaku Felicity Smith and Rita Shah |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Clinical and Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;(2) School of Pharmacy, University of London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK;(3) Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, UK |
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Abstract: | Objective A lack of skilled health professionals, and net migration from developing to more developed countries, are widely recognised
as barriers to the delivery of effective health care. However, few studies have investigated this issue from the perspective
of pharmacists, although they are increasingly viewed as a potentially valuable and underexploited health care resource. The
objectives of this study were to examine the professional aspirations and perceived opportunities of final year pharmacy students
in a developing country; and consider what developments may encourage them to remain in, and contribute to, health care in
their home country. Method Final year pharmacy students from the Faculty of Pharmacy, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana, were randomly selected and invited to participate
in in-depth interviews. These were audio-recorded (with permission of respondents) and transcribed verbatim to enable a qualitative
analysis. Main outcome measure: professional aspirations, and perceived opportunities and barriers to their achievement in
Ghana and abroad. Results Participants viewed themselves, and wished to be viewed by others, as health professionals. They described a commitment to
applying their clinical knowledge and to education beyond their first degree. However, they identified significant barriers
to the achievement of professional aspirations in Ghana, which would diminish their opportunities to contribute to health
care. Whilst most students expressed the expectation or desire to travel at some point, usually early, in their career, they
all demonstrated a commitment to their country and stated a wish to return. Conclusion Overall the study highlighted prospective pharmacists in Ghana as ambitious, committed potential health professionals. The
study indicates that a lack of attention by policy makers and professional bodies to ways of exploiting the contribution of
pharmacists to public health, may represent a lost potential human resource for health in developing countries. |
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Keywords: | Africa Ghana Human resources Migration Pharmacists Pharmacy students Pharmarcy work force Professional role |
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