Syrian Pharmacy Students�� Intentions and Attitudes Toward Postgraduate Education

Objective. To investigate Syrian pharmacy students’ intentions and attitudes toward postgraduate study, and to determine and evaluate the factors that influence their preferences.Methods. A questionnaire was developed and used to collect data from final-year bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) students at Damascus University.Results. Of the 265 students who responded to the survey, approximately 50% intended to work, 25% intended to pursue further study, and 25% were undecided. Personal fulfillment was the factor that most influenced students’ intentions concerning future education. Men were more concerned over their financial future, while women’s intentions were more influenced by scientific issues. The 3 most preferred pharmaceutical areas of further study were biochemistry and laboratory diagnosis, pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical industry, and clinical pharmacy. More students favored pursuing graduate school abroad rather than in Syria. The majority of those who intended to enroll in local graduate programs were interested in academic programs while less than a fifth favored residency programs.Conclusions. The graduate programs in Syria do not appear to satisfy pharmacy students'' ambitions or have the capacity to accommodate the growing demand associated with the rapid increase in the number of pharmacy graduates in the country. Consequently, a majority of students prefer to pursue postgraduate study abroad.     

Future training needs in the pharmaceutical sciences: Academia – Industry

The markets for the traditional output of schools of pharmacy, namely education, research and graduates, are changing. The main private client in these markets, the pharmaceutical industry, is moving fast to become more efficient, under pressure from overly costly drug development. The challenges to the industry that emanate from the fantastic rate of advances in the biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical development are considerable. The many agents that were unheard of 10 years ago, such as gene-regulators, together with new technologies, all require new approaches to fundamental pharmaceutical issues.

The concept of disciplines in graduate education may have to be reconsidered in the light of the multidisciplinary problems to be tackled. In addition, graduates will need to acquire a range of non-disciplinary skills, such as better communication or team working, in order to be effective in the commercial market place.

The concept of ‘research schools’ following either a local or network model may provide the way forward to help academia meet the graduate education needs of industry. The objectives and mission of such institutions must be clearly defined to ensure that the current scientific environment is embraced fully.     

An Innovative Seminar Course in Business Etiquette for Pharmacy Graduate Students

Objectives. To develop and implement a seminar course for graduate students in the social and administrative pharmaceutical sciences to enhance knowledge and confidence with respect their abilities to demonstrate appropriate business etiquette.Design. A 1-credit graduate seminar course was designed based on learner-centered constructivist theory and application of Fink’s Taxonomy for Significant Learning.Assessment. Eleven students participated in the spring 2011 seminar course presentations and activities. Students completed pre- and post-assessment instruments, which included knowledge and attitudinal questions. Formative and summative assessments showed gains in student knowledge, perceived skills, and confidence based on observation and student-reported outcomes.Conclusion. Graduate student reaction to the course was overwhelmingly positive. The etiquette course has potential application in doctor of pharmacy education, other graduate disciplines, undergraduate education, and continuing professional development.     

Doctoral Graduate Programs in the Pharmaceutical Sciences: An International Survey

This publication represents the first to report global information on characteristics and requirements of doctoral programs in the pharmaceutical sciences in schools/colleges of Pharmacy. Survey responses (140 responses) were received from doctoral programs in 23 countries, with the greatest number of responses obtained from Japan, followed by India and the United States. Program characteristics and requirements, and student and faculty information, including graduate placement, in programs in Asia, North America, Europe, Africa and Australia were compared. Survey responses indicated differences in entrance requirements for doctoral programs with minimum requirements being a bachelor's degree, pharmacy degree or master's degree, including a M.Phil. degree. Programs differed widely in size in all geographical areas, but there was a similar emphasis on core educational learning outcomes (core competencies) and Ph.D. graduation requirements including qualifying examinations, thesis defense with internal and external reviewers and requirements for peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, three-quarters of programs indicated that there was external review of their programs every 2-4 or 5-7 years. Female students and female faculty mentors represented about 50% of students/faculty in programs in most geographical areas. Placement of students after graduation indicated that the highest percentage went into the pharmaceutical industry in Asia (predominantly India) and North America, with a lower percentage in Europe, Africa and Australia.     

高等临床药学人才教育模式与培养课程设置的探讨

随着我国经济的迅速发展和医疗体制改革的深化，临床药师的需求将会不断增长。现阶段可采用培养药学博士、临床药学硕士和在职培训等多种方式来改善临床药师短缺的状况。长期来看，应在我国的主要医药高等院校建立完善的药学博士教育体系，建立安全合理用药的人才体系。药学博士的课程应包括生物医学、药学、临床医药学、中医药学和社会管理科学等几方面的内容，教学中应加强临床医药学、药物基因组学、药物经济学和医药信息检索知识的学习，并注重临床药学实践、与人沟通能力和获取新知识能力的培养，以使其能适应将来临床药师工作的需要。     

Pharmaceutical education in the wake of genomic technologies for drug development and personalized medicine.

The development of safe and effective new therapeutics is a long, difficult, and expensive process. Over the last 20-30 years, recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology has provided a multiple of new methods, molecular targets and DNA-based diagnostics to pharmaceutical research that can be utilized in assays for screening and developing potential biopharmaceutical drugs. In parallel, new innovative approaches to drug delivery systems were discovered and reached the market. Pharmaceutical biotechnology, pharmacogenomics, combinatorial chemistry, in close relation to high-throughput screening technologies, and bioinformatics are major advances that give a new direction to pharmaceutical sciences. To meet with the needs of this new dynamic era of pharmaceutical research and health care environment, pharmaceutical education has to set new priorities to keep pace with the challenges related to genomic technologies. The development of new initiative education programs, for both undergraduate and graduate curricula, in pharmacy has to be focused on preparing pharmacists oriented for both pharmacy practice and drug research and development. This can be achieved by providing future pharmacists with knowledge, skills and attitudes to be more competitive in the health care system, pharmacy practice-related fields, pharmaceutical industry and drug research and development areas, or finally in academia. Educators and pharmacy school members have the responsibility of deciding how, to what extent, by which methods, and/or in which way these changes and new directions in the education programs should be developed.     

微格教学在医药类研究生教学能力培养中的作用探讨

目的：探讨微格教学法在医药类研究生教学能力培养中的效果。方法药学专业研究生32名,随机分为实验组和对照组,每组16名。实验组采用微格教学法,对照组采用传统教学法;课程结束后评价两组学生的教学效果。结果与对照组相比,实验组学生的教学技能、课堂满意度方面有明显提高（P＜0.05）。结论微格教学法作为以实践为导向的教学方法,能够提高研究生的教学技能,有效调动学习的主动性和积极性,适合在医药类研究生教育中应用。     

以医学进展为依托发展药学教育具有不可替代性

1990年以来,分子诊断、生物治疗、组织工程、单克隆抗体、蛋白质组学、功能基因识别、DNA复制与重组,以及DNA损伤与修复取得了明显的进展,这些医学进展对药学施加影响并与药学融合,医学对药学的这种影响自然会延伸到药学教育之中。本文强调这里列举的八个方面的融合仅仅具有例证性质。笔者希望同仁们能够重视这些举证,进而站到更高的层面上去思考我国的药学教育。     

美国高等药学教育研究状况分析及启示

采用文献分析法分析2000-2004年美国高等药学教育研究的主要研究方向、研究方法、研究者状况等方面情况，介绍美国高等药学教育研究现状。借鉴美国高等药学教育的研究，提出我国高等药学教育研究还需从拓展研究问题领域、丰富研究方法、加强研究队伍建设、加强学术载体建设等方面努力，以期使我国高等药学教育研究水平进一步提高。     

借鉴国外经验推动高等药学教育向服务型人才培养转型

目的：研究国内外药学教育和人才培养的异同,为我国高等药学教育改革和药学服务型人才培养提供建议。方法：比较国外药学教育发展和人才培养模式,分析我国高等药学教育和药学服务型人才培养存在的问题并提出对策。结果：我国高等药学教育人才培养目标与社会发展需求产生新矛盾,应从药学服务型人才培养的社会需求重新思考我国高等药学教育改革方向和制度安排。结论：我国高等药学教育需要借鉴国际经验,适时推进药学教育改革,建立以药学服务型人才培养为主体,高等药学教育与执业药师资格制度有效衔接的人才培养体系。     

Stevens Institute of Technology—Preparing the Next Generation of Pharmaceutical Professionals

In response to a perceived lack of graduate offerings in practical pharmaceutical industry skills that allow recent bachelor’s graduates or young working professionals to hone their abilities and to target their focus specifically towards the pharmaceutical industry, especially in the area of commercial production, Stevens Institute of Technology created the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Engineering (PME) graduate program to provide educational opportunities for the significant pharmaceutical population in the northern New Jersey/metro New York area, as well as worldwide via online offerings. Currently, the program offers two 4-course graduate certificates in (1) Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and (2) Validation, Compliance, and Quality in the Pharmaceutical Industry, and a 10-course (30 credits) Master of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.     

借鉴国外经验 发展我国高等药学教育

目的促进我国高等药学教育的发展。方法研究总结了美国、日本、英国等国的药学教育情况,分析了我国高等药学教育存在的问题及其产生原因。结果对我国高等药学教育的发展提出了建议。结论应该借鉴国外经验,发展我国高等药学教育。     

现代药学教育发展趋势初探

分析药学事业的发展对药学人才和药学教育提出的新要求，研究国际上药学教育的发展方向，提出我国药学教育的发展趋势以及应采取的措施。     

Participants’ Perceptions of a Multidisciplinary Training Program for Graduate and Postgraduate Students in Drug Use Management and Policy

Objective. To determine graduate and postgraduate students’ perceptions of a drug use management and policy program that applied wide-ranging policy research skills to inform pharmaceutical decision-making.Design. Nine cohorts of graduate and postgraduate students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds were paired with health-system preceptors for 4 months, and supported by faculty advisors and administrators, to complete research projects that generated evidence to inform policy decisions.Assessment. A self-administered survey instrument was sent to all alumni of the program over the previous 10 years. The majority of respondents indicated: their prior academic coursework could be applied to everyday life; service-learning projects complemented university programs; participation led to greater awareness of decision-makers’ needs and appreciation of their tacit knowledge; and communication abilities were enhanced with decision-makers, and academics. Many also reported personal desire to fulfill healthcare-system research needs; personal belief in their ability to make a difference; and increased postgraduation marketability.Conclusion. A drug use management and policy program allowed graduate students from various disciplines to develop new skills and collaborate with experts to produce research evidence that was relevant to drug policy that addressed real-world problems.     

Pharmaceutical Sciences' Manpower Supply and Internal Rate of Return

A pharmacy student has many career options upon graduation. These options include graduate education in one of the pharmaceutical sciences and a retail pharmacy position. The attractive salaries offered by chain pharmacies play an important role in the recent graduate's career decision-making process. The purpose of this study is to provide a comparative assessment of the internal rate of return (IRR) for different pharmaceutical science career options as related to chain-store pharmacist earnings. Additionally, this study analyzes the effect of the IRR on the applicant pool size and composition for graduate study in pharmaceutical sciences. Income/age profiles were developed using public domain income data derived from salary surveys sponsored by professional associations. Based on these income/age profiles, IRRs were estimated for the pharmaceutical science disciplines, clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacy administration, and further differentiated for industry versus academic careers. The IRRs are the highest for Pharm.D.'s in academic careers (16.0%), followed by pharmaceutical scientists employed by pharmaceutical industry (8.13%). The IRR of pharmaceutical scientists in academia is lower than the return on other financial investment vehicles. Other authors have established a relationship between the IRR of a profession and a rise or decline in the applicant pool. The IRRs calculated here imply that this association can also be observed for the pharmaceutical scientist applicant pool. Low IRRs should result in a declining applicant pool. However, the last decade has shown an increase of 66% in the number of Ph.D.'s granted, while the percentage of Ph.D.'s granted to nonpharmacists or non-Americans has not increased significantly over the same time period. The supply of pharmaceutical scientists has increased, yet these increases have been outpaced by increases in demand. Improvement in support levels for graduate studies may increase the applicant pool in the pharmaceutical sciences.     

Capacity of Hospitals to Partner with Academia to Meet Experiential Education Requirements for Pharmacy Students

Purpose

Current hospital and health-system participation in and the future capacity for experiential education for pharmacy students was investigated.

Methods

An online survey of ASHP members identified as U.S. pharmacy directors was conducted to assess their current and future involvement in partnering with colleges and schools to meet the experiential education requirements for doctor of pharmacy students and the current status of the student learning experiences. Questionnaire items examined the factors on which expanded involvement in experiential education would depend, the nature of support provided by colleges and schools, the types of experiences available for students, respondents'' perceptions of factors influencing the quality of experiential education, the value of experiential education to the sites, respondents'' challenges and concerns about experiential education, and respondents'' current capacity and projections for introductory and advanced experiences through 2012.

Results

Data from 549 respondents were analyzed. Most respondents indicated that they had conducted advanced experiences for their 2007 graduates and anticipated that they would continue to do so. Among the top challenges identified regarding advanced experiences were concerns about time to serve and be trained as preceptors and a lack of standardization and coordination among colleges and schools. Hospitals forecasting their future capacity to accommodate students indicated that their projections were highly dependent on the number of pharmacists at their hospitals. Many respondents noted that their capacity projections were tied to their ability to expand clinical services at their hospitals.

Conclusion

A survey of pharmacy directors suggested an ability of U.S. hospitals to conduct advanced experiential education opportunities for pharmacy students through 2012 and to expand introductory experiences.     

我国临床药学教育现状及其发展建议

临床药学人才培养已成为国际药学教育发展的必然趋势。文章阐述了我国临床药学的现状、特点,分析了临床药学教育的主要问题,为临床药学教育的未来发展提出建议,以期推动临床药学教育的可持续发展。     

2013-2017年美国高等药学教育研究现状分析

目的：分析近5年美国药学教育研究的现状,为我国药学教育研究提供借鉴。方法：对《美国药学教育杂志》1055篇文章进行文献分析,选择其中几篇进行实例分析,对文章的研究方法详细分析。与我国高等药学教育研究的现状以及研究方法进行对比分析,提出改革建议。结果：美国药学教育研究内容广泛且深入,各研究机构合作较多,研究方法主要采用定量分析和实验对比,研究的热点是主动学习、跨职业教育、模拟患者以及人文关怀。结论：我国还应丰富研究对象,拓宽研究领域,丰富研究方法,加强学术交流平台的构建以及加强研究机构的合作。     

Education in graduate school of pharmaceutical sciences

The report of the Council for the improvement in the education of pharmaceutical sciences and the recommendation of the Central Council for Education indicate that the 6-year education is required to develop pharmacists with high qualities as medical staff. Each college of pharmacy started the education and practical training based on the model core-curriculum with the original program. On the other hand, to develop a scientist for the development of novel medicines, 4-year education program is also required. Under these new education systems, what we should do in the education in the graduate school of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences has been discussed. Recently, the first report about the purpose and the strategy in the graduate school in the new generation was submitted. Here, I will comment on the details of this report.