University Pharmacy: from the foundation to the Pandemic times of Covid-19

Abstract The University Pharmacy Program (FU), from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), was created based on the need to offer a curricular internship to students of the Undergraduate Course at the Faculty of Pharmacy. Currently, it is responsible for the care of about 200 patients/day, offering vacancies for curricular internships for students in the Pharmacy course, it has become a reference in the manipulation of many drugs neglected by the pharmaceutical industry and provides access to medicines for low-income users playing an important social function. Research is one of the pillars of FU-UFRJ and several master and doctoral students use the FU research laboratory in the development of dissertations and theses. As of 2002, the Pharmaceutical Care extension projects started to guarantee a rational and safe pharmacotherapy for the medicine users. From its beginning in 1982 until the current quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FU-UFRJ has been adapting to the new reality and continued to provide patient care services, maintaining its teaching, research, and extension activities. The FU plays a relevant social role in guaranteeing the low-income population access to special and neglected medicines, and to pharmaceutical and education services in health promotion.

Perceptions of Pharmacy students about their competences for professional practice in community pharmacy

Abstract Pharmaceutical education should enable the development of competences for community pharmacy practice, which is an important field for the pharmacist workforce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the competences perceived by pharmacy interns from a Brazilian pharmacy school for community pharmacy practice. This study adopted a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. The study cohort included undergraduate students who undertook internships in community pharmacy in the final year of the pharmacy course. Students responded to an 11-item structured questionnaire according to a five-point Likert scale that included perceptions of their competences for community pharmacy practice. Among the 693 possible answers, 605 (87.3%) agreed that the course promoted the development of competences for professional practice in community pharmacy. Less than 70% of students perceived themselves as prepared to respond to symptoms and provide non-prescription medicines. Qualitative analysis of the comments revealed three themes: the need to improve patient information skills, improve practice as a member of a health care team, and improve dispensing according to legal requirements. These findings may support improvements in undergraduate pharmacy programs, such as the inclusion of experiential learning, active learning methods, interprofessional education, and development of clinical skills.

Perception of pharmacists regarding human resources, training, and development of a national hospital pharmacy: a preliminary report on Basel Statements

Abstract The hospital pharmacy needs a constant process of evaluation and monitoring of its activities. In Brazil, several agencies establish tasks and duties for pharmacists, but little is known about the compliance and the perception of the professional regarding these policies. The present study aims to characterize the pharmacist's perception of Brazilian hospital pharmacy policies according to the Basel Statements. A search was performed for the contacts of all medium and high complexity hospitals in the country. Subsequently, a questionnaire elaborated following the Basel Statements was sent by e-mail to hospital pharmacists throughout the country. The domain analyzed was "Human Resources, Training, and Development". Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 19.0. Pharmacists representing a total of 111 hospitals from all Brazilian regions answered the survey questionnaire and showed that more than half of the hospital pharmacists perceive themselves as not complying, whether in the service of local, national, or pharmaceutical education. Besides updating the professionals in relation to national policies, it is necessary that the representative bodies of the pharmaceutical class be more present in the elaboration and evaluation of the policies directed to human resources, seeking uniformity and the possibility of carrying out the activities required.

Análise das características e tendências do mercado da formação de farmacêuticos no Brasil / Analisys of the characteristics and trends of pharmacist training market in Brazil

A presente pesquisa tem como foco a graduação do farmacêutico. Com o intuito de estudar o mercado educacional do curso de Farmácia, buscou-se analisar a oferta de cursos e vagas desta profissão, a legislação pertinente ao ensino superior do Brasil e do ensino em farmácia, além da atualização da DCN pertencentes a este curso. As justificativas para realização deste estudo estão baseadas em quatro argumentos interligados, como a importância da formação de recursos humanos para saúde, as mudanças ocorridas no perfil curricular desse curso nos últimos anos, o papel das instituições de ensino privado e o aparecimento e crescimento da modalidade EAD, sendo observadas as tendências para o mercado de formação dessa categoria profissional. Trata-se de estudo descritivo e exploratório utilizando uma abordagem quali-quantitativa com associação de duas estratégias metodológicas: a combinação de pesquisa bibliográfica e narrativa sobre as características e tendências da formação do farmacêutico em nosso país, e a coleta de dados através do site do e-MEC. Os resultados da pesquisa junto ao site do e-MEC evidenciaram um total de 811 cursos de Farmácia divididos em 752 presenciais tanto em instituições públicas quanto privadas; já na modalidade EAD, foram encontrados 59, todos em instituições privadas. Em janeiro de 2021 foram ofertadas 107.786 vagas na modalidade presencial e 194.433 EAD, totalizando 302.219 vagas. Considerando a organização acadêmica dos cursos presenciais, a pesquisa encontrou a maior parte em faculdades totalizando 273; O mercado educacional para o curso de farmácia teve sua expansão durante os anos 1930 juntamente com políticas voltadas para o crescimento do setor farmo-químico no país. Nos últimos anos, ocorreram inúmeras mudanças nas políticas de ensino superior, como o crescimento da oferta de vagas em IES privadas com incentivos do governo federal como o FIES e o PROUNI. Este período foi marcado pelo crescimento acelerado do número de cursos, vagas, modalidades de ensino e matrículas, além da diversidade de instituições que pertencem ao sistema de ensino superior do Brasil. O ensino à distância ganhou visibilidade com o avançar da globalização e a criação de novas tecnologias voltadas para a educação. As mudanças no setor educacional permitiram mostrar a importância de pesquisar a formação de recursos humanos, a necessidade de políticas, diretrizes e estratégias que atendam à população e aos serviços de saúde, evitando assim a escassez de recursos humanos para o setor saúde, garantindo o acesso universal e integral como proposto na Lei no 8.080. A pandemia do COVID-19 destacou a importância do farmacêutico em relação ao uso racional de medicamentos e de uma formação qualificada que possa garantir a assistência farmacêutica.

The focus of this study is on pharmacist graduation. To analyze the educational market for the Pharmacy course, we looked at the supply of courses and places in this field, as well as the regulations governing higher education in Brazil and pharmacy education, as well as the DCN for this degree. The study's justifications are based on four interconnected arguments, including the importance of human resources training for health, changes in the curricular profile of this course in recent years, the role of private educational institutions, and the emergence and growth of distance education, as well as trends in the training market for this professional category. This is a descriptive and exploratory study that uses a quali-quantitative approach and combines two methodological strategies: a combination of bibliographic and narrative research on the characteristics and trends of pharmacist education in our country, as well as data collection through the e-MEC website. The survey found a total of 811 Pharmacy courses, divided into 752 face-to-face courses in both public and private institutions, and 59 distance learning courses, all in private institutions, on the e-MEC website. In January 2021, 107,786 on-site places and 194,433 distance learning vacancies were available, amounting 302,219 places. During the 1930s, the educational market for pharmacy courses grew in line with policies aimed at expanding the pharmochemical sector in the country. There have been several changes in higher education regulations in recent years, such as the increase of vacancies in private HEIs with federal government incentives like FIES and PROUNI. The number of courses, vacancies, education modalities, and enrollments increased rapidly throughout this period, as did the diversity of institutions that make up Brazil's higher education system. With the advancement of globalization and the introduction of new educational technology, distance learning has become more visible. The changes in the educational sector highlight the importance of studying human resource formation, as well as the need for policies, guidelines, and strategies that benefit the population and health services, avoiding a human resource shortage in the health sector and ensuring universal and integral access, as proposed in Law 8.080. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity of pharmacists in terms of medication rationalization and specialized training that can ensure pharmaceutical assistance.

Leguminosae Lectins as Biological Tools in Medical Research: a Review

Abstract Lectins were discovered first in plants and later in other living things, and nowadays it is known that they are present in almost all many life forms. These proteins can bind to specific carbohydrates, which make them perform a number of biological activities and can be used as tools in the study of glycoconjugate structures present on the cell surface, being effective in medical research. Plant lectins, leguminosae lectins particularly, are among the most studied plant proteins. They are very versatile molecules, which show several interesting biological properties. Thus, the present paper reviewed the advances about the leguminosae lectins biological properties studies in the last ten years, taking into account their possible applications in the fields of Clinical Microbiology, Pharmacy and Cancerology through a search in the electronic databases, providing opportunity to exchange information about the theme. Leguminosae lectins can neutralize pathogenic organisms, be they viruses, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, in addition carcinogenic cells, besides decreasing oxidative stress, conditions which increases the possibility of alternative substances for the design of new drugs to be used in current therapeutic, expanding the possibilities of diseases cure.

Percepção do farmacêutico analista clínico: da formação à atuação profissional / Perception of pharmaceutical clinical analyst: from academic education to professional performance

A atuação do farmacêutico em análises clínicas está diretamente relacionada com o estudo e o diagnóstico da saúde do paciente. O presente artigo objetivou compreender a percepção de farmacêuticos analistas clínicos em relação à sua formação acadêmica. A pesquisa contou com a participação de farmacêuticos que atuam como analistas clínicos em um laboratório. Os dados coletados foram analisados pela técnica de análise de conteúdo e divididos em duas categorias: formação acadêmica e formação em análises clínicas. O resultado mostra que as aulas práticas durante a graduação são de suma importância, pois propiciam que o futuro farmacêutico analista clínico desenvolva habilidades e atitudes atreladas ao conhecimento. Constatou-se também que os conhecimentos teóricos propiciam o embasamento para a prática e que a formação do farmacêutico analista clínico deve priorizar o contexto em que estará inserido de forma proativa na equipes multiprofissionais e na sociedade.

The work of the medical laboratory scientist is directly related to the study and diagnosis of the patient's health. This study aimed to understand the opinion of medical laboratory scientists regarding their academic training. The research had the participation of pharmacists who work as medical laboratory scientists. The collected data were analyzed using the content analysis technique and divided into two categories: academic training and clinical analysis training. The result shows that practical classes during the undergraduate course are of paramount importance, as they allow the future medical laboratory scientist to develop skills and attitudes linked to knowledge. It was also found that theoretical knowledge provides the basis for the practice and that the training of the medical laboratory scientist shall prioritize the context where he/she will be proactively inserted in the multiprofessional teams and in society.

El desempeño del farmacéutico en el análisis clínico está directamente relacionado con el estudio y el diagnóstico de la salud del paciente. Este artículo tuvo como objetivo comprender la percepción de los analistas clínicos farmacéuticos en relación con sus antecedentes académicos. A la investigación asistieron farmacéuticos que actúan como analistas clínicos en un laboratorio. Los datos recopilados se analizaron utilizando la técnica de análisis de contenido y se dividieron en dos categorías: capacitación académica y capacitación en análisis clínico. El resultado muestra que las clases prácticas durante la graduación son de suma importancia, ya que permiten al futuro analista clínico farmacéutico desarrollar habilidades y actitudes vinculadas al conocimiento. También se descubrió que el conocimiento teórico proporciona la base para la práctica y que la formación del analista clínico farmacéutico debe priorizar el contexto en el que se insertará proactivamente en los equipos multiprofesionales y en la sociedad.

Profissão farmacêutica em São Paulo: prática científica, ensino e gênero, 1895-1917 / Pharmaceutical profession in São Paulo: scientific practice, teaching and gender, 1895-1917

Expõe caminhos, alianças e disputas por meio dos quais farmacêuticos paulistas buscaram criar espaços de fala, atuação e ensino separados da medicinam, a partir de 1895

Integração ensino-serviço na formação de profissionais para sistemas públicos de saúde / Teaching-service integration in the training of professionals for public health systems / Integración enseñanza-servicio en la formación de profesionales para sistemas públicos de salud

Resumo A integração ensino-serviço, entendida pelo trabalho articulado de estudantes, professores e trabalhadores em cenário de prática, tem por finalidades a excelência da formação profissional e a qualidade do trabalho em saúde. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar, por meio da percepção dos discentes, a integração ensino-serviço, que ocorre durante o período de graduação em Farmácia. Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, conduzido em 2018, caracterizado como levantamento de corte transversal, no qual aplicou-se um questionário estruturado. Participaram do estudo 155 acadêmicos de cursos de Farmácia, matriculados em três universidades, duas públicas e uma privada, localizadas na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os resultados encontrados sinalizaram as potencialidades dos estágios em cenários de saúde pública para a formação de profissionais farmacêuticos mais confiantes para o futuro trabalho no Sistema Único de Saúde. Os dados obtidos revelaram a variável idade dos discentes como fator relevante para o reconhecimento das competências necessárias para o trabalho. Tais achados podem contribuir para o processo de elaboração ou reformulação curricular dos cursos de Farmácia, com vistas à formação de um profissional crítico, reflexivo e conhecedor da realidade de saúde local.

Abstract Teaching-service integration, understood through the combined work of students, teachers and workers in a practice setting, has as its goals excellency in professional training and quality of the work in health. The goal of the study is to analyze, through the perception of the students, the teaching-service integration, which takes place during the undergraduate Pharmacy studies. It is a quantitative study conducted in 2018, and characterized as a cross-sectional survey in which a structured questionnaire was applied. A total of 155 undergraduate Pharmacy students, enrolled in three different universities, a private university and two public ones, located in the metropolitan region of the city of Porto Alegre, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, participated in the study. The results found indicate the potentialities of the internships in public health settings for the training of Pharmacy professionals who are more confident regarding their future work at the Brazilian Unified Health System. The data obtained reveal the variable age of the students as a relevant factor for the acknowledgement of the competencies needed for the job. Such findings may contribute to the process of development or reformulation of the syllabi of the Pharmacy undergraduate courses, with the goal of training professionals who are critical, thoughtful and knowledgeable regarding the local health reality.

Resumen La integración enseñanza-servicio, entendida por el trabajo articulado de estudiantes, profesores y trabajadores en escenario de práctica, tiene por finalidad la excelencia de la formación profesional y la calidad del trabajo en salud. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar, por medio de la percepción de los discentes, la integración enseñanza-servicio, que ocurre durante el período de graduación en Farmacia. Se trata de un estudio cuantitativo, conducido en 2018, caracterizado como relevamiento de corte transversal, en el cual se aplicó un cuestionario estructurado. Participaron del estudio 155 académicos de cursos de Farmacia, matriculados en tres universidades, dos públicas y una privada, localizadas en la región metropolitana de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Los resultados encontrados mostraron las potencialidades de las prácticas en escenarios de salud pública para la formación de profesionales farmacéuticos más confiados para el futuro trabajo en el Sistema Único de Salud. Los datos obtenidos revelaron la variable edad de los discentes como factor relevante para el reconocimiento de las competencias necesarias para el trabajo. Tales hallazgos pueden contribuir para el proceso de elaboración o reformulación curricular de los cursos de Farmacia, con vistas a la formación de un profesional crítico, reflexivo y conocedor de la realidad de salud local.

Avaliação das atitudes de colaboração entre estudantes de graduação dos cursos de Farmácia e Medicina na Universidade de São Paulo / Evaluation of collaboration attitudes among undergraduate students of Pharmacy and Medicine courses at the University of São Paulo

A prática farmacêutica vem, ao longo dos anos, mudando o seu foco, uma vez que as mudanças de perfil epidemiológico, como a elevação da expectativa de vida, a diversidade de enfermidades crônicas, bem como a morbimortalidade associada ao uso de medicamentos e o aumento dos gastos com saúde, requerem acompanhamento prolongado de pacientes e abordagem integral que contemple as múltiplas dimensões da assistência à saúde dos usuários e da população em geral, com ênfase em prevenção e educação em saúde. Atributos importantes dos profissionais de saúde incluem, mas não estão limitados, à empatia cognitiva, a colaboração interprofissional e as orientações centradas no paciente. Instrumentos de pesquisa para medir cada um desses atributos foram projetados e validados em diferentes graus. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o grau de cooperação entre estudantes de graduação dos cursos de Farmácia e de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Campus da Capital. Trata-se de um estudo do tipo transversal, quantitativo, com aplicação de questionário online construído e validado especificamente para avaliar o grau de cooperação entre estudantes de todos os anos de graduação dos cursos de Farmácia e de Medicina. Os dados foram coletados por meio do envio do questionário aos estudantes dos dois cursos, o qual contempla dados sócio-demográficos, contato prévio com a prática interprofissional e a versão validada para o português do instrumento "Scale of Attitudes Toward Pharmacist-Physician Collaboration". Foi realizada análise estatística empregandose métodos descritivos (média, mediana e desvio padrão) e inferenciais (Software R - teste t de Student e ANOVA). Com o presente estudo, observou-se que, de maneira geral, os estudantes dos dois cursos são favoráveis às práticas interprofissionais, porém, os dados apontam que os estudantes de Farmácia se mostram mais favoráveis a estas práticas quando comparados aos de Medicina. São necessários mais estudos para aprofundar as causas das diferenças encontradas entre os dois grupos e no que diz respeito à relação das atividades de educação interprofissional e a percepção dos estudantes quanto à colaboração médicofarmacêutico

The pharmaceutical practice has, over the years, changing its focus, since the epidemiological profile changes, such as increased life expectancy, the diversity of chronic diseases, as well as the morbidity and mortality associated with the use of drugs and the increase in health spending, require prolonged follow-up of patients and require comprehensive approach that addresses the multiple dimensions of health care users and the general population, with emphasis on prevention and health education. Important health professionals attributes include, but are not limited to cognitive empathy, interprofessional collaboration, and guidance centered on the patient. Research tools to measure each of these attributes have been designed and validated to varying degrees. The objective of this study is to measure and evaluate the level of cooperation among undergraduate students of Pharmacy and Medicine courses at the University of São Paulo, Campus Capital. It is a transversal, quantitative study with online application of online questionnaire developed and validated specifically to evaluate the level of cooperation between students from all undergraduate years of Pharmacy and Medicine courses. Data will be collected by sending the questionnaire to students from both courses. The questionnaire will be prepared on the basis of the Federal University of Sergipe tool and every student can respond to even just once. It will be performed the statistical analysis employing descriptive methods (mean, median and standard deviation) and inferential (Software R - Student's t-test and ANOVA). With the present study, it was observed that, in general, the students of the two courses are favorable to interprofessional practices, however the data indicate that the students of pharmacy are more favorable when compared to those of medicine. Further studies are necessary to look into the causes of the differences found between the two groups and also regarding the relation of the activities of interprofessional education and the students' perception regarding the physician-pharmacist collaboration

Pharmacy students' experiences on smoking cessation campaigns at a tertiary government hospital

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:</strong> Smoking cessation campaigns aim to raise awareness on the dangers of tobacco use and provide help for successful abstinence. Fourth year students of the UP College of Pharmacy implemented activities to promote smoking cessation among patients and clients at a tertiary government hospital. This paper aimed to describe the students' experiences on their project at the hospital during their Hospital Pharmacy course. Key learnings, challenges, and recommendations for the project's improvement, as well as their perceptions on current smoking cessation programs of the government were, likewise, determined.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> The students' activities were documented and described. A descriptive quantitative design using a self-administered online questionnaire was used to determine challenges, key learnings, and recommendations while content analysis was applied on open-ended questions to determine the frequency of responses in common themes identified. Perceptions on current smoking cessation campaigns were also summarized using frequency statistics.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> The five approved projects implemented by the students were (1) setting up of smoking cessation booths, (2) display of posters within the hospital premises, (3) distribution of leaflets and reading materials, (4) playing of smoking cessation campaign videos, and (5) the creation of a social media page. Most of the students were challenged in scheduling and delegation of tasks (81.4%) and delays in project implementation (57.6%). They also realized the difficulty of stopping smoking (74.6%) and that it has various root causes (72.9%) that need to be addressed. To improve the project, students recommended collaborations with the hospital (79.7%) and the Department of Health (84.7%) to further smoking cessation programs. Lastly, they perceived that the current smoking cessation program is inadequate or underutilized.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Smoking cessation programs require a multi-sectoral approach to be effective and sustainable, and students can be active partners in their implementation. Pharmacy student smoking cessation-led activities can complement government programs on smoking cessation. Moreover, students can apply what they have learned about smoking cessation while preparing them for their future role as pharmacist-counsellors.</p>

Pharmacy students' perceptions of the formative objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) and their learning outcomes

@#<p><strong>BACKGROUND</strong>: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are used frequently in course subjects owing to their utility in determining the students' clinical competencies under a variety of simulated conditions. In the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Pharmacy, the use of a summative OSCE has already been used as a form of assessment in some of its courses. However, previous batches of students felt unprepared for their summative OSCE at the end of the semester. In particular, students reported unfamiliarity with the content and format of the said examination. To address this concern, formative OSCEs were conducted in a Pharmacy laboratory course.</p><p><strong>OBJECTIVE</strong>: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the feedback component of formative OSCEs on the students' self-perceived learning and achievement of the course outcomes, facilitating knowledge, skills and attitudes development towards the course, and preparing them for the summative OSCE. It also sought to identify useful aspects of the formative OSCEs and how they can be improved further.</p><p><strong>METHODOLOGY</strong>: Four formative OSCEs were administered from January to May 2017 to all fourth-year pharmacy students taking Pharmacy 154 (Dispensing and Incompatibilities). The units covered were: (1) extemporaneous and sterile compounding; (2) over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and prescription drugs; (3) dangerous drugs and medical devices; and (4) therapeutic incompatibilities and medication safety. After each formative OSCE, feedbacks were provided to the students. Once all OSCEs were conducted, an online, self-administered questionnaire consisting of four parts was given to the students. Total population sampling was employed in the study. The responses (n = 44) were analyzed using frequency statistics. Thematic analysis was done for the aspects of the formative OSCEs that were most useful, and how they could be further improved.</p><p><strong>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</strong>: The frequency analysis of responses from the questionnaire generally showed that the students had positive perceptions to the feedback component of the formative OSCEs. Still, there was no significant association found between passing the summative OSCE and the formative OSCEs owing to the differences in the content of each examination. Overall, formative OSCEs may be a good assessment tool to track the students' progress and give them constructive feedback in terms of the competencies expected in the course and to better prepare them for the summative OSCE. Increasing the time allotted for each station and orienting them better prior to formative OSCEs were the commonly suggested points for improvement.</p>

Knowledge and practice characteristics of pharmacists in Qatar towards medication use in pregnancy: a cross-sectional survey

Background: Medication use during pregnancy is common. Pharmacists have an important role in improving medication use during pregnancy. There is a lack of empirical evidence on pharmacists' knowledge and practice characteristics towards medication use in pregnancy. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the knowledge and practice characteristics of pharmacists in Qatar about medicines use in pregnancy. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted over a period of 6 months in 2010. Questionnaires were distributed to 400 of 800 licensed pharmacists employed in Qatar [in government and private sectors]. Data were collected on: demographics and practice characteristics of the pharmacists; their knowledge and perception about medication use in pregnancy; their confidence in dealing with pregnant women and physicians; and their source of the drug information. Results: Of the 400 questionnaires distributed, 207 were returned [52% response rate]. Most pharmacists [71%] had not participated in any educational activities on medication use in pregnancy. About 50% reported that < 10% of their workload involved dispensing medications to pregnant women. A lack of available resources and unknown pregnancy status were the main concerns about dispensing medication to pregnant women. The majority of the respondents had average knowledge about medication use in pregnancy. There was a significant association between knowledge, and continuing education and years of experience [P < 0.05]. Conclusions: Pharmacists in Qatar had an average level of knowledge about medications use in pregnancy. Continuous educational programmes are needed for pharmacists in Qatar to enhance their knowledge and practice of medicine use during pregnancy

Bridging the gap for clinical pharmacist in developing countries like Pakistan

Clinical pharmacists should be increasingly important members of the healthcare team in developing countries such as Pakistan. Survey of literature was conducted to identify the determinants of clinical pharmacy in Pakistan. Lack of trained human capital, shortage of resources, patient overburden, inefficient pharmacy education curriculum, and limited job opportunities are some of the determinants of clinical pharmacy profession in developing countries. The underutilization of clinical pharmacists paves the way for an increased incidence of medication errors, adverse drug events, irrational prescribing, and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Integration mapping is an important framework for providing guidelines in protocol planning for improvement in a profession. A step by step change is required to promote the growth of clinical pharmacy profession in Pakistan

A new experimental community pharmacy internship module for undergraduate pharmacy students in western Nepal: overview and reflections / 보건의료교육평가

Community pharmacies in Nepal and other South Asian countries are in a mediocre state due to poor regulation and the fact that many pharmacies are run by people with insufficient training in dispensing. This has led to the inappropriate use of medicines. The problems due to poor regulation and the mediocre state of community pharmacies in South Asia encompass both academia and clinical practice. In this paper, a 2-week community pharmacy internship programme completed by 2 graduating pharmacy students of Pokhara University (a Nepalese public university) at Sankalpa Pharmacy, Pokhara, Nepal is illustrated. During the internship, they were systematically trained on store management, pharmaceutical care, counselling skills, the use of medical devices, pharmaceutical business plans, medicine information sources, and adverse drug reaction reporting. An orientation, observations and hands-on training, case presentation, discussion, and feedback from 2 senior pharmacists were used as the training method. A proper community pharmacy internship format, good pharmacy practice standards, and a better work environment for pharmacists may improve the quality of community pharmacies.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Outbreak and Responsiveness of the Pharmacy Programs on the Pharmacy Practice Education

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy curriculum change was made from a 4-year program to a 2+4 year program in year 2009 in Korea. The change has resulted in more educational exposures on patient-centered practice environments for about 1,400 hours in the last year of the professional pharmacy program. When the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak hit Seoul and suburban areas and propagated to other provinces in Korea, emergency response to avoid student infection in the pharmacy practice sites became an urgent issue. While other health professional programs such as medicine and nursing had activated emergency preparedness manuals, timely and clear guidelines were not disseminated to all pharmacy programs and protective measures largely relied on individual pharmacy program. METHODS: A survey was developed by the Committee on Pharmacy Practice Experience Programs in the Korean College of Clinical Pharmacy to document the status of pharmacy programs during the Korea MERS outbreak in 2015. The 10-question survey was distributed to the pharmacy practice experience coordinators to 34 out of 35 pharmacy schools in Korea by emails. RESULTS: Our findings showed that 82.4% of the program coordinators (28/34) responded to the survey, 96.4% of the programs did not have emergency preparedness manuals, administrative meetings were held in 89.3% of the pharmacy programs, the rotation schedules were modified or withheld in 53.6% of schools, and the changes were mostly observed from the programs classified as MERS outbreak regions. CONCLUSION: Further needs in establishing the emergency preparedness manual should be explored for pharmacy education stakeholders.

Providing Effective Feedback within Pharmacy Practice Education

Experiential education is a core curriculum of pharmacy education. In experiential education, formative feedback is an integral component of learning and teaching process. Feedback is defined as information provided by a preceptor regarding student's performance based on direct observation. With effective feedback, students can have opportunities to reinforce or correct behaviors and to acquire knowledge or skills. Students highly value and appreciate feedback. They rank provision of effective feedback as one of the most important qualities of preceptors. Preceptors, however, lack an understanding of feedback or practical skills necessary for providing effective feedback. As a result in reality, the feedback provided to students can be differentially effective in improving students' learning. This article describes a theoretical understanding of feedback including definition and value, as well as types of feedback. In addition, practical aspects in providing feedback, such as contents, timing, techniques, and models, are addressed. By understanding the value of feedback and mastering various feedback skills, preceptors will promote students' learning and enhance educational outcomes of experiential education.

Los estudios farmacéuticos en el segundo imperio a través de la gaceta médica de méxico / Pharmaceutical studies during the second empire in the gaceta médica de méxico

Las actividades farmacéuticas durante el Segundo Imperio han carecido de atención por parte de los historiadores de la ciencia en las últimas décadas, a pesar de que la farmacia fue una disciplina destacada en la ciudad de México. Muestra de ello es el análisis de 12 escritos publicados en la Gaceta Médica de México, periódico de la Sociedad Médica de México. El escrutinio de estos permite comprender los intereses, prácticas y actividades farmacéuticas de algunos médicos y farmacéuticos de la agrupación, a la vez que detallan la sanción científica de la flora mexicana con fines terapéuticos. Esto permite identificar una continuidad histórica en las actividades de los farmacéuticos capitalinos a lo largo del siglo XIX.

Pharmaceutical activities during the Second Empire have been neglected by historians of science in recent decades, even though pharmacy was an important discipline in Mexico City. This is shown by analyzing 12 papers published in the Gaceta Médica de México, the journal of the Sociedad Médica de México. Examination of these papers helps us understand the interests, practices and pharmaceutical activities of some of this group’s physicians and pharmacists, as well as detailing scientific endorsement of the therapeutic use of Mexican flora. This allows us to trace a historical continuity in the activities of pharmacists in the capital city throughout the nineteenth century.

O ensino de farmácia no sul do Brasil: preparando farmacêuticos para o Sistema Único de Saúde? / Pharmacy education in southern Brazil: preparing pharmacists for the Unified Health System? / La enseñanza de farmacia en el sur de Brasil: preparando farmacéuticos para el Sistema Único de Salud?

Resumo O processo de formação em saúde enfrenta o desafio da transformação e está sendo direcionado para o atendimento das necessidades do Sistema Único de Saúde. Este artigo analisa a apropriação das diretrizes curriculares nacionais por cursos de graduação em Farmácia com foco na formação direcionada à assistência farmacêutica, além da participação docente e discente nas práticas de aproximação entre ensino e realidade de atuação no Sistema Único de Saúde. Foram realizadas análise documental das matrizes curriculares e projetos político-pedagógicos dos cursos de Farmácia de instituições de ensino superior públicas e privadas do Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina e Paraná, bem como entrevista semiestruturada com estudantes e professores de cursos de Santa Catarina. A adoção das diretrizes curriculares nacionais ocorreu em momentos diferentes a partir de 2002, e as bases teóricas, evidenciadas pela oferta de disciplinas, também se mostraram bastante desiguais entre os cursos. O estágio foi a estratégia mais comum para a aproximação entre ensino e serviço; nos cursos com o Programa de Educação pelo Trabalho em Saúde, observou-se melhor compreensão do Sistema Único de Saúde por parte dos estudantes. O estudo indica a necessidade de se repensar criticamente as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais e de que forma vêm sendo implementadas pelos cursos de Farmácia.

Abstract The process of training in health faces a challenge of transformation and is being guided to meet the needs of the National Health System. This article analyzes how undergraduate courses in pharmacy have addressed the national curriculum guidelines, with a focus on training directed to pharmaceutical assistance, as well as on faculty and student participation in practices aiming to bring together teaching and the reality of working in the National Health System. A documentary analysis was made of the curricula and political-pedagogical projects of Pharmacy courses at public and private higher education institutions in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná, Brazil. Semi-structured interviews with students and professors of courses in Santa Catarina were also conducted. The National Curriculum Guidelines have been adopted at different times since 2002, and the theoretical bases, as evidenced by the offer of subjects, also showed quite substantial differences among the courses. Internships were the most common strategy to draw teaching and service closer together; in courses with the Program of Education through Work in Health, it was noted there was a better understanding of the NHS among students. The study points to the need to critically rethink the National Curriculum Guidelines and how they have been implemented by the Pharmacy courses.

Resumen El proceso de formación en salud enfrenta el desafío de la transformación y está siendo dirigido hacia la atención de las necesidades del Sistema Único de Salud. Este artículo analiza la apropiación de las directrices curriculares nacionales por cursos de graduación en Farmacia, centrándose en la formación dirigida a la asistencia farmacéutica, además de la participación docente y discente en las prácticas de aproximación entre enseñanza y realidad de actuación en el Sistema Único de Salud. Se realizó el análisis documental de las matrices curriculares y proyectos políticos y pedagógicos de los cursos de Farmacia de instituciones de enseñanza superior, públicas y privadas, de Río Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina y Paraná, así como una entrevista semiestructurada con estudiantes y profesores de cursos de Santa Catarina. La adopción de las Directrices Curriculares Nacionales tuvo lugar en momentos diferentes a partir de 2002, y las bases teóricas, puestas de manifiesto por la oferta de disciplinas, también se mostraron bastante desiguales entre los cursos. La pasantía fue la estrategia más común para la aproximación entre enseñanza y servicio; en los cursos con el Programa de Educación por el Trabajo en Salud, se observó mejor comprensión del SUS por parte de los estudiantes. El estudio señala la necesidad de repensar críticamente las Directrices Curriculares Nacionales y de qué forma están siendo implementadas por los cursos de Farmacia.

Interdisciplinaridade e formação na área de farmácia / Interdisciplinarity and training in the pharmacy area / Interdisciplinaridad y formación en el área de farmacia

Resumo A interdisciplinaridade apresenta-se como um desafio e uma necessidade do setor saúde, tendo em vista o redirecionamento do modelo assistencial. Este estudo objetivou desvelar a compreensão de coordenadores de cursos de graduação em Farmácia da região Centro-Oeste do Brasil sobre a interdisciplinaridade na formação do farmacêutico. Utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa, no pressuposto metodológico da fenomenologia, segundo a modalidade do fenômeno situado. Foram coletados 16 depoimentos entre junho de 2011 e abril de 2012 e submetidos à descrição, redução e interpretação fenomenológica. A construção dos resultados foi realizada com base nas análises ideográfica e nomotética dos depoimentos, dos quais emergiram 12 temas, agrupados em três categorias principais: interdisciplinaridade no currículo, interdisciplinaridade na formação do farmacêutico e interdisciplinaridade na atuação do farmacêutico no sistema de saúde. Alguns resultados revelados referem-se à necessidade de compreender melhor como a interdisciplinaridade dialoga com o currículo de Farmácia e à superação de obstáculos técnicos e políticos que impedem a prática interdisciplinar efetiva na formação dos farmacêuticos, entre eles a falta de capacitação docente e as disputas de poder entre áreas.

Abstract Interdisciplinarity is presented as a challenge and a need of the health sector, with a view to redirect the health care model. This study aimed to unveil the understanding the coordinators of undergraduate programs in Pharmacy in Midwestern Brazil have of interdisciplinarity in training pharmacists. A qualitative approach was used in the methodological fundamentals of the phenomenology, pursuant to the mode of the phenomenon. A total of 16 testimonials were collected between June 2011 and April 2012, which were then submitted to description, reduction, and phenomenological interpretation in order to reach knowledge on the phenomenon studied. Results were built based on ideographic and nomothetic analyses of the testimonials, from which 12 topics grouped into three main categories emerged: curriculum interdisciplinary, interdisciplinary in training the pharmacists, and interdisciplinarity in the pharmacist's role in the health system. Some of the results that were obtained point to the need to better understand how interdisciplinary converses with the Pharmacy curriculum and overcoming technical and political obstacles that prevent the practice of effective interdisciplinary in the training of pharmacists, including the lack of training for faculty and competition for power among areas.

Resumen La interdisciplinaridad se presenta como un desafío y una necesidad del sector de salud, teniendo en vista la reorientación del modelo asistencial. Este estudio buscó revelar la comprensión de coordinadores de cursos de graduación en Farmacia de la región Centro-Oeste de Brasil sobre la interdisciplinaridad en la formación del farmacéutico. Se utilizó el abordaje cualitativo, en la hipótesis metodológica de la fenomenología, según la modalidad del fenómeno situado. Se recogieron 16 testimonios entre junio de 2011 y abril de 2012 y se sometieron a la descripción, reducción e interpretación fenomenológica, a fin de llegar al conocimiento del fenómeno estudiado. La construcción de los resultados se realizó en base a los análisis ideográfico e nomotético de los testimonios, de los cuales surgieron 12 temas, agrupados en tres categorías principales: interdisciplinaridad en el currículo, interdisciplinaridad en la formación del farmacéutico e interdisciplinaridad en la actuación del farmacéutico en el sistema de salud. Algunos resultados revelados refieren a la necesidad de comprender mejor cómo la interdisciplinaridad dialoga con el currículo de Farmacia, y a la superación de obstáculos técnicos y políticos que impiden la práctica interdisciplinaria efectiva en la formación de los farmacéuticos, entre ellos la falta de capacitación docente y las disputas de poder entre áreas.