TY - JOUR
T1 - Pharmacy education and workforce
T2 - strategic recommendations based on expert consensus in Lebanon
AU - Hajj, Aline
AU - Zeenny, Rony M.
AU - Sacre, Hala
AU - Akel, Marwan
AU - Haddad, Chadia
AU - Salameh, Pascale
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Pharmacy in Lebanon has been taught for years, and the profession has known the golden ages in previous years. However, with the recent graduation of hundreds of pharmacists, without prior workforce planning, the oversupply of non-specialized pharmacists caused a mismatch with the needs of the market. The context of severe socioeconomic and sanitary crises has further exacerbated the situation, with hundreds of pharmacists leaving the country. A group of pharmacy experts joined to suggest strategic solutions to face such challenges, suggesting a clear strategy for education and the workforce, overarched by educational and professional values and based on six main pillars: (1) implement a national competency framework (including the core and specialized competency frameworks) to be used as a basis for licensure (colloquium); (2) implement a national pharmacy program accreditation, encompassing standards related to competencies adoption and assessment, curricula, teaching methods, research and innovation, instructors’ and preceptors’ skills, and experiential training; (3) organize training for students and early-career pharmacists; (4) optimize continuing education and implement continuous professional development, fostering innovation and specialization among working pharmacists; (5) develop and implement a pharmacy workforce strategy based on pharmacy intelligence, job market, and academic capacities; (6) develop and implement a legal framework for the above-mentioned pillars in collaboration with ministries and parliamentary commissions. Under the auspices of the relevant authorities, mainly the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the suggested strategy should be discussed and implemented for a better future for the pharmacy profession.
AB - Pharmacy in Lebanon has been taught for years, and the profession has known the golden ages in previous years. However, with the recent graduation of hundreds of pharmacists, without prior workforce planning, the oversupply of non-specialized pharmacists caused a mismatch with the needs of the market. The context of severe socioeconomic and sanitary crises has further exacerbated the situation, with hundreds of pharmacists leaving the country. A group of pharmacy experts joined to suggest strategic solutions to face such challenges, suggesting a clear strategy for education and the workforce, overarched by educational and professional values and based on six main pillars: (1) implement a national competency framework (including the core and specialized competency frameworks) to be used as a basis for licensure (colloquium); (2) implement a national pharmacy program accreditation, encompassing standards related to competencies adoption and assessment, curricula, teaching methods, research and innovation, instructors’ and preceptors’ skills, and experiential training; (3) organize training for students and early-career pharmacists; (4) optimize continuing education and implement continuous professional development, fostering innovation and specialization among working pharmacists; (5) develop and implement a pharmacy workforce strategy based on pharmacy intelligence, job market, and academic capacities; (6) develop and implement a legal framework for the above-mentioned pillars in collaboration with ministries and parliamentary commissions. Under the auspices of the relevant authorities, mainly the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the suggested strategy should be discussed and implemented for a better future for the pharmacy profession.
KW - Accreditation
KW - Competency
KW - Education
KW - Pharmacy
KW - Strategy
KW - Workforce
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85145349148&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s40545-022-00510-3
DO - 10.1186/s40545-022-00510-3
M3 - Comment/debate
AN - SCOPUS:85145349148
SN - 2052-3211
VL - 16
JO - Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice
JF - Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice
IS - 1
M1 - 1
ER -