Pharmacists’ Expectations for Entry-level Practitioner Competency

Objective. To determine if defined subgroups of pharmacists’ have variability in their expectations for competency of entry-level practitioners.Methods. Rating scale data collected from the 2009 National Pharmacy Practice Survey were analyzed to determine to what extent pharmacists'' degree, practice setting, and experience as a preceptor were associated with the ratings they assigned to 43 competency statements for entry-level practitioners. The competency statements determine the content on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).Results. Pharmacists with a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree rated the co mpetency statements higher in terms of criticality to entry-level practice than did those with a bachelor of science (BS) degree (p< 0.05). Pharmacists working in inpatient settings gave slightly higher ratings to the competency statements than did pharmacists working in outpatient settings, pharmacists without direct patient care responsibilities, and those in academia. However, there were no significant differences among practitioner subgroups'' criticality ratings with regard to practice setting. Preceptor pharmacists'' criticality ratings of the competency statements were not significantly different from those of non-preceptor practitioners. Conclusion. Pharmacists exhibited a fair amount of agreement in their expectations for the competence of entry-level practitioners independent of their practice sites and professional roles. As the pharmacy profession embraces patient-centered clinical practice, evaluating practicing pharmacists’ expectations for entry-level practitioners will provide useful information to the practitioners and academicians involved in training future pharmacists. Stakeholders in pharmacy education and regulation have vested interests in the alignment of the education of future practitioners with the needs of the profession.     

Pharmacy Residencies and Dual Degrees as Complementary or Competitive Advanced Training Opportunities

The impact of pharmacy practice has been enhanced through additional graduate training opportunities, such as pharmacy residencies and dual-degree programs. This article compares and contrasts key aspects of pharmacy residencies and dual-degree programs, as well as examines the efforts of US colleges and schools of pharmacy in promoting these advanced training opportunities on their Web sites. Pharmacy residencies and dual-degree programs are complementary opportunities that allow student pharmacists to gain advanced knowledge and specialized skills beyond the traditional Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. The combination of these credentials can be highly advantageous in a variety of practice settings. As pharmacists collaborate with healthcare providers and professionals from other disciplines, more support is needed to expand the availability and use of these cross-profession, advanced training opportunities to enhance the future of the pharmacy profession.     

Investigations and feedback on the training mode of professional master’s degree of clinical pharmacy in Peking University and the preliminary exploration of Pharm. D. Education

In order to carry out the comprehensive reform of the professional master’s degree training mode of clinical pharmacy, we carried out interviews among 91 persons on the professional master's degree of clinical pharmacy in Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and collected extensive feedback. We preliminaries explore the mode of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) Education, laying the foundation for Doctor’s education of professional clinical pharmacy in China. We conducted investigations and interviews among 91 clinical pharmacists and students of Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences on the training of professional master’s degree and Pharm. D. education mode, which includes 67 postgraduates and 24 clinical pharmacists. Respondents put forward the problems of training mode and corresponding suggestions and opinions from different aspects during the investigation and interview. The results mainly divide into four aspects: curriculum setting, clinical practice, assessment system and teaching resources. Respondents put forward effective feedback on the above four aspects, which are beneficial to the comprehensive reform of the training mode of professional master degree in clinical pharmacy and preliminary exploration of Pharm. D. Education in China.     

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。     

Leadership in a clinical profession

The contributions of residency training programs to pharmacy's development into a clinical profession are described. Residency programs supply institutional pharmacy with mature, highly skilled clinical and managerial practitioners, and ASHP's accreditation process ensures the programs' quality. Residents develop values, philosophy, and vision that breed innovation and advancement of the profession. As pharmacy departments strive to meet the standards set by the accreditation program, the level of services rises; subsequently, higher standards are established and practice advances accordingly. Future residency training for community practice and the movement toward the Pharm.D. as the sole entry-level degree for practitioners must be evaluated in terms of effect on patient care and on pharmacy school and hospital resources. Planning for future pharmacy education and manpower needs should involve the whole profession, but the needs of community and hospital pharmacy may differ. A goal for the future is entry-level residency training for all hospital pharmacists, with the Pharm.D. degree as a prerequisite. Such a residency program would focus on clinical practice and provide experience in all pharmaceutical services and the overall management of a pharmacy department; it would be a prerequisite for advanced specialized residency programs. Managers of departments providing clinical services will need an entry-level clinical residency followed by a specialized residency in administration. In their 25-year history, residency programs have contributed greatly to the profession. Efforts to develop quality residency training sites and promote them to pharmacy graduates should continue.     

Pharmacy education in Cuba

Background In Cuba, as in other countries around the world, professional pharmacy has moved from a product orientation (dispensing medications) to a focus on the patient. Aim To provide an overview of the current status of pharmacy education in Cuba. Methods Research was conducted on the historical records of the curriculums used in pharmacy education in Cuba. Results All programs require a minimum of 5 years of postsecondary education prior to attainment of the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree, which is currently the entry-level degree for the profession. The main change currently affecting practice of and education in pharmacy in Cuba is the introduction of pharmaceutical care concept. Conclusions All University Schools of Pharmacy are formally involved in the continuing professional development of practitioners as an important part of the educational life cycle for pharmacists.     

培养临床药师 促进合理用药

通过对国内外开展临床药学工作和临床药学教育理论与实践的研究与分析,结合天津医科大学药学院与天津市卫生局及所属医疗机构为建立临床药师制、开展临床药学服务、培养临床药师所进行的临床药学教育教学实践,探讨建立适合中国国情的在成人队伍中进行临床药师培养的模式与方法。     

专业学位水平评估视角下药学硕士培养体系优化

专业学位水平评估是提升专业学位研究生培养质量的重要手段,对学位授权点围绕专业学位教育应用性、实践性等特点完善人才培养体系有指导性意义。从培养目标契合度、师资队伍支撑度、培养过程匹配度、职业需求吻合度、社会满意度、质量保障体系有效度六个维度对专业学位评估指标进行解读。在此基础上,建议药学硕士的培养应在工业药学、临床药学、管理药学三个领域分别聚焦,构建人才培养方案,打造专业化的导师队伍,开展案例教学与实践基地建设,重视学位论文实践意义,完善人才培养质量保障体系建设,最终实现药学硕士专业学位教育与制药工程师、临床药师等职业人才有机衔接,促进医药行业发展。     

Recurrent education for pharmacists to support regional medicine

New-generation pharmacists who graduate from the 6-year pharmacy education program will come into being in Japan in 2 years' time. The new program regards technical skills and caring attitudes suitable for healthcare professionals as important, as well as expert knowledge. Pharmacists are expected to become more involved in pharmacotherapy and patient care to overcome rural physician shortage and achieve better outcomes in pharmacotherapy. Pharmacists themselves also want to contribute to improve pharmacotherapy and patient care. Pharmacists educated with the former 4-year education program, however, hardly had a chance to learn clinical pharmacy or pharmaceutical care when they were pharmacy students. They have so far studied clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes by themselves mostly after graduation. Therefore most pharmacists have not received systematic education or training about clinical pharmacy. Pharmacy schools employ pharmacists and physicians as professors, and built practical rooms for pre-clinical training to study pharmacy practice in recent years. We should use those human resources and laboratory equipment in pharmacy schools to facilitate recurrent education for pharmacists. Internet-based real time remote lecture is also useful for pharmacists working far from pharmacy schools to attend a recurrent class. I propose an education system in which pharmacists who completed the recurrent education program teach students pharmacy practice in their worksites, and both pharmacists and students are developing their practical skills to a high degree together.     

Pharmacy education in Cuba

Background In Cuba, as in other countries around the world, professional pharmacy has moved from a product orientation (dispensing medications) to a focus on the patient. Aim To provide an overview of the current status of pharmacy education in Cuba. Methods Research was conducted on the historical records of the curriculums used in pharmacy education in Cuba. Results All programs require a minimum of 5 years of postsecondary education prior to attainment of the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree, which is currently the entry-level degree for the profession. The main change currently affecting practice of and education in pharmacy in Cuba is the introduction of pharmaceutical care concept. Conclusions All University Schools of Pharmacy are formally involved in the continuing professional development of practitioners as an important part of the educational life cycle for pharmacists.     

Obtaining and providing health information in the community pharmacy setting

Community pharmacists are a valuable information resource for patients and other healthcare providers. The advent of new information technology, most notably the Internet, coupled with the rapid availability of new healthcare information, has fueled this demand. Pharmacy students must receive training that enables them to meet this need. Community advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) provide an excellent opportunity for students to develop and master drug information skills in a real-world setting. Preceptors must ensure that students are familiar with drug information resources and can efficiently identify the most useful resource for a given topic. Students must also be trained to assess the quality of resources and use this information to effectively respond to drug or health information inquiries. This article will discuss key aspects of providing drug information in the community pharmacy setting and can serve as a guide and resource for APPE preceptors.     

Harvey A. K. Whitney Lecture. To a new beginning from converging paths

The implementation of the pharmaceutical care concept is discussed. Current activities of professional pharmacy organizations are laying the groundwork for the new emphasis on patient outcomes, which is seen in the mission statements of the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) and the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP). APhA is revalidating its standards of practice; the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) has formed a Commission to Implement Change in Pharmaceutical Education; the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) is revising its standards to be consistent with entry-level practitioners' ability to provide pharmaceutical care and seeking ways in which pharmacists currently practicing in all sites can upgrade their skills. These groups are called on to implement pharmaceutical care: To make known the "value-added services" encompassed in pharmaceutical care, JCPP should market to the public its concept of pharmacists' mission. APhA should analyze pharmaceutical services currently provided and promote postgraduate training programs in pharmaceutical care. ACPE must focus on ways pharmacists can achieve the competencies required for pharmaceutical care, and AACP must ensure that academic programs are consistent with the needed competencies. ASHP should hold a national conference on implementation of pharmaceutical care, create a commission for this purpose, direct more effort at pharmacists practicing in nonhospital settings, and accelerate its clinical skills development program. Employers should put less emphasis on "clinical" designations and Pharm.D. degrees and more on the ability to provide pharmaceutical care. Implementation of pharmaceutical care is imperative.     

Pharmacy Education in India

Pharmacy education in India traditionally has been industry and product oriented. In contrast to the situation in developed nations, graduate pharmacists prefer placements in the pharmaceutical industry. To practice as a pharmacist in India, one needs at least a diploma in pharmacy, which is awarded after only 2 years and 3 months of pharmacy studies. These diploma-trained pharmacists are the mainstay of pharmacy practice. The pharmacy practice curriculum has not received much attention. In India, there has been a surge in the number of institutions offering pharmacy degrees at various levels and a practice-based doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program was started in some private institutions in 2008. However, relatively little information has been published describing the current status of complex pharmacy education of India. In this paper we describe pharmacy education in India and highlight major issues in pharmacy practice including deficiencies in curriculum. The changing face of the profession is discussed, including the establishment of the PharmD program. The information presented in this paper may stimulate discussion and critical analysis and planning, and will be of value in further adaptation of the pharmacy education to desired educational outcomes.     

Hospital pharmacy services in the Great Lakes region

The results of a spring 1987 survey of hospital pharmacy services in seven states of the Great Lakes region are reported. The study group (n = 1087) comprised all hospitals in seven states that employed at least one full-time or part-time pharmacist and that had 50 or more licensed beds. The survey had a 63% response rate (681 usable responses). Seventy percent of the hospitals were small (average daily census, less than 200), 20% were medium sized (200-399), and 11% were large (greater than or equal to 400). Some 33% of the hospitals were affiliated with a college of pharmacy. Pharmacy directors who held an advanced degree (master of science or doctor of pharmacy) were more likely to work in larger hospitals and in those affiliated with educational institutions. The extent of unit dose services differed based on hospital teaching affiliation and pharmacy director's education. Provision of i.v. admixture services differed based on hospital teaching affiliation and pharmacy director's education but not hospital size. Pharmacy preparation of six specialty i.v. products differed according to pharmacy director's education and hospital teaching affiliation; however, pharmacy preparation of only three of the specialty products differed based on hospital size. Larger hospitals that were affiliated with an educational institution were more likely to employ a clinical coordinator, drug information specialist, or clinical pharmacist. Home health-care services involving pharmacists were provided by 26% of the hospitals; the most common programs were antimicrobial therapy and total parenteral nutrition therapy. Pharmacists provided services in ambulatory-care clinics in 24% of the hospitals, with the most common services being patient education, pharmacokinetics consultation, and dosage regimen adjustment. Provision of 10 of 12 inpatient clinical pharmacy services differed based on hospital size and teaching affiliation; 11 of the 12 services differed based on education of the pharmacy director. Workload and pharmacist staffing data for the inpatient clinical pharmacy services varied widely. Eleven of these services were expected to undergo a positive net growth, while one service, provision of admission medication histories, was expected to decline. An extensive survey of hospital pharmacy services in the Great Lakes region showed that the provision and scope of many services were related to hospital size, hospital teaching affiliation, and the education of the pharmacy director.     

美国的药学博士教育

随着医药工业化进程的加剧和药学服务模式的变化而产生、发展的药学博士教育,现已成为美国唯一的药学入门学位。药学博士教育改变了传统单一、以“药”为中心的药学教育模式,转而更加注重与临床的结合,学生在获得学位前必须积累较为丰富的临床实际用药经验。相应的药学博士的培养时间从原药学本科的四年提高到高中毕业后六年以上或药学本科毕业继续三到四年的时间。     

Role of Pharmacy Residency Training in Career Planning: A Student’s Perspective

Pharmacy students typically become more focused on career planning and assessment in the final year of their PharmD training. Weighing career options in the advanced pharmacy practice experience year can be both exciting and stressful. The goal of this article is to provide a primer on how pharmacy students can assess how a residency can fit into career planning. This article will describe the various career paths available to graduating students, highlight ways in which a residency can complement career choices, review the current state of the job market for pharmacists, discuss the current and future plans for residency programs, and present thoughts from some current and former residents on why they chose to complete a residency. Most career paths require some additional training, and a residency provides appropriate experience very quickly compared to on-the-job training. Alternative plans to residency training must also be considered, as there are not enough residency positions for candidates. Directors of pharmacy must consider several factors when giving career advice on pharmacy residency training to pharmacy students; they should provide the students with an honest assessment of their work skills and their abilities to successfully complete a residency. This assessment will help the students to set a plan for improvement and give them a better chance at being matched to a pharmacy residency.Students typically become more focused on career planning and assessment in the final year of their PharmD training. That year is reserved for advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs), in which students rotate for a minimum of 1,500 hours at 9 often unique practice sites under the guidance of a preceptor and additional staff. Throughout this year, the students are exposed to many different aspects of pharmacy including community, ambulatory care, hospital/health system, inpatient/acute care, and elective rotations. The exposure to the different pharmacy practice settings often causes the students to reevaluate or reconsider their chosen career path. In addition, family members, preceptors, friends, and colleagues often inquire about the students’ job plans, further education, or training. This time of exploring career options can be exciting, as well as stressful, for students on the verge of graduation. Often the decisions students make during the final year of the PharmD program are binding for many years following graduation, possibly even limiting their future career goals. Some students may make decisions based on the necessity to pay off a heavy school loan debt or the desire to work in a particular geographic area due to family concerns.Students often request career advice from pharmacy directors, who are acting as either their APPE preceptor or in connection with their employment. The pharmacy profession and job market have changed drastically in the last 10 to 15 years, making a student’s viewpoint on career planning and assessment very different from that of a pharmacy director who has been in the profession for many years. Acting as a mentor, the pharmacy director can help the students explore the following questions: How much school debt do I have? What personal concerns will influence my career plan? What aspects of pharmacy do I enjoy? Where do I see myself in 20 years? How is the profession of pharmacy changing? Should I pursue a residency?To the last question, and as part of the career planning and assessment process, students need to decide whether to pursue a residency or an entry-level pharmacist position upon graduation. Postgraduate residencies are becoming an increasingly popular option as the competition in the job market increases; the additional years of training may provide better preparation for a specific position.Despite the increase in students pursuing residency training, most PharmD students have chosen to work in community practice upon graduation. These practice areas do not require the completion of postgraduate training. According to the 2014 Pharmacy Student Graduating Survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), 5,827 of 9,527 (61%) responding students indicated that they planned to work in a chain community pharmacy upon graduation.¹ For those students entering hospital pharmacy, 3,147 of 9,527 (33%) responding students planned to pursue a staff position. There were 2,461 (25%) responding students who had plans to pursue a pharmacy residency program upon graduation.¹Residency training provides knowledge and experience at a faster pace and in a more systematic manner than can be obtained in an entry-level pharmacist position. Residency training also provides the opportunity for interprofessional collaboration, instills personal and professional confidence, provides avenues in which to advocate for the profession of pharmacy, and broadens clinical decision-making abilities. With the profession of pharmacy becoming an increasingly clinically focused profession, residency training enables a pharmacist to practice at the “top of their license” and provide exceptional patient care. It can also enable a pharmacist to become a sought after candidate by employers.The goal of this article is to provide a primer on how pharmacy students can evaluate the role of a pharmacy residency in their career planning. The article will describe the various career paths available to graduating students, highlight ways in which a residency can compliment career choices, review the current state of the job market for pharmacists, discuss the current and future plans for residency programs, and present thoughts from some current and former residents on why they chose to complete a residency. The information in this article will help students in deciding whether or not to pursue postgraduate education. In addition, this article may provide a helpful student perspective for pharmacy directors as they serve as mentors for students and young pharmacists.     

在心内科、消化科开展临床药学服务的实践与体会

目的探索在医院现有规模条件下开展临床药学服务的内容与方法。方法二年来在我院心内科、消化科开展药师下临床全程药学服务,在全院开展其他药学服务。结果临床药学服务成为临床医师进行合理有效药物治疗的得力参谋。结论临床药师应紧紧围绕合理用药的各个方面开展工作。加紧提高自身业务素质,充分利用现代各种资源,在医师、护士的配合下切实做好临床药学工作并实现临床药师的自身价值。     

Pharmacy practice in 2040.

Pharmacy practice 50 years in the future is discussed. The practice of pharmacy in 2040 will be influenced by many trends and issues, such as increasing cultural diversity, the aging population, evolving drug and information technology, rising drug costs, and increasing third-party coverage. Pharmacy may take one of two paths. In the first scenario, institutional and community practice would drift further apart, with community pharmacy becoming more involved with retailing than with health care. In the second scenario, all pharmacists would become a vital component of an integrated, patient-centered system of health care; pharmacists, like physicians, would be salaried professionals, paid for by health-care programs financed through health insurance. The difference between the two scenarios is the degree to which pharmacists actively participate in their creation: The first will happen if pharmacists do not take action; the second will require a considerable amount of work. If pharmacists wish to see an active system of patient-centered pharmaceutical care in 2040, they must begin to create it now, regardless of their practice setting. Pharmacists must work to create a future in which they are an integral part of the health-care system.     

Dual degree programs at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

The rapid growth and evolution of the pharmacy profession has created a wide array of opportunities for graduating pharmacists beyond traditional community pharmacy or hospital practice. Management and leadership positions in federal and state healthcare agencies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, retail pharmacies, academia and managed care organizations increasingly require the pharmaceutical knowledge obtained through a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree combined with financial, organizational, and management skills. In these innovative positions, pharmacists are being called upon to assume responsibilities as executives and administrators in systems providing pharmacist care services to patients. To endow students with knowledge and skills required to perform the duties required in these decision-making positions, the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy has established 3 joint degree programs: the PharmD/Master of Business Administration (PharmD/MBA), PharmD/Master of Public Administration (PharmD/MPA), and PharmD/Master of Science in Economics (PharmD/MS). This paper describes these joint degree programs.     

临床药师培训对专业型临床药学硕士培养的启示

目的：分析我国开展临床药师培训的具体情况,为专业型临床药学硕士培养提供思路。方法：搜索CNKI、万方、维普数据库,查询我国临床药师培训相关文献,分析临床药师培训与临床药学专业硕士培养的比较优势。结果：专业型临床药学硕士的培养应设置与临床实践密切结合的课程,同时须布置药学实践作业。考核内容应侧重于临床,注重过程考核。结论：临床药师的基本功是医嘱审核、用药教育、药物不良反应判断等,一切工作都应围绕临床,以患者为中心。在学习期间,专业型临床药学硕士更应着重锻炼这些基本功。只有这样,才能为今后参与临床治疗团队、提供药学服务、缩短执业过渡期打好基础。