The Future of the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Graduate Education: Recommendations from the AACP Graduate Education Special Interest Group |
| |
| Authors: | Susanna Wu-Pong Jogarao Gobburu Stephen O’Barr Kumar Shah Jason Huber Daniel Weiner |
| |
| Institution: | aSchool of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA;bSchool of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD;cCollege of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA;dPPD, Richmond, VA;eDepartment of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV;fCertara, L.P., St. Louis, MO |
| |
| Abstract: | Despite pharma''s recent sea change in approach to drug discovery and development, U.S. pharmaceutical sciences graduate programs are currently maintaining traditional methods for master''s and doctoral student education. The literature on graduate education in the biomedical sciences has long been advocating educating students to hone soft skills like communication and teamwork, in addition to maintaining excellent basic skills in research. However, recommendations to date have not taken into account the future trends in the pharmaceutical industry. The AACP Graduate Education Special Interest Group has completed a literature survey of the trends in the pharmaceutical industry and graduate education in order to determine whether our graduate programs are strategically positioned to prepare our graduates for successful careers in the next few decades. We recommend that our pharmaceutical sciences graduate programs take a proactive leadership role in meeting the needs of our future graduates and employers. Our graduate programs should bring to education the innovation and collaboration that our industry also requires to be successful and relevant in this century. |
| |
| Keywords: | pharmacy education graduate pharmaceutical industry future pharmaceutical sciences jobs career skills preparation higher education |
|
|
