The need for a new pharmacy education paradigm and the evolving nature of pharmacy practice

  Over time, the pharmacy profession has changed from a conventional and traditional drug-focused foundation to a cutting-edge patient-focus...

 

Over time, the pharmacy profession has changed from a conventional and traditional drug-focused foundation to a cutting-edge patient-focused one. Since the turn of the century, pharmacists have had a much less role in the production and formulation of medications. This increase in the function of the pharmacist necessitates their inclusion in the larger healthcare team aiming to improve patient care and help the world achieve the millennium development objectives. In order to keep up, the function of modern pharmacists must be broadened to encompass pharmaceutical care principles, transforming the pharmacist into a health care expert rather than just a drug vendor in a business.

As a result, pharmacy schools should develop a curriculum that is adaptable to the pharmacist's evolving function. Critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making during medication should all be enhanced by education. The student should receive training in the creation, dissemination, and application of new knowledge based on cutting-edge research in the clinical, social, and pharmaceutical sciences; team up with other health professionals; and learn to improve the quality of life for local society members as well as members of the global community through improved health.

References

Toklu, H. Z., & Hussain, A. (2013). The changing face of pharmacy practice and the need for a new model of pharmacy education. Journal of Young Pharmacists, 5(2), 38-40.