Reflections on the Reform and Development of Higher Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Education in China Based on Sudden Major Public Health Events

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and suggest experience and lessons proposed to promote the conjunctive development of education, so as to better play the role of pharmaceutical talents in responding to major public health emergencies. METHODS: Using expert method and literature method, online expert opinion consultation was conducted among experts from 50 pharmaceutical colleges and universities in China, and the analysis and research were carried out by combining expert opinions and literature content. RESULTS: The COVID-19 public health event sheds light on practical problems related to industry and education, including drug discovery and reserves existing weak links, pharmacists' clinical pharmacy practice ability insufficient, lack of the public health culture, as well as the pharmaceutical talents training system not conformed to the core principles of healthy China strategy, and pharmaceutical colleges and universities' activities of teaching and scientific research disconnected with innovation driven development strategy. CONCLUSION: The pharmaceutical colleges and universities should firmly establish a patient-centered talent training concept, strengthen the students' political and professional ethics qualities, continue to improve the pharmaceutical talents' knowledge structure, and deepen the collaborative innovation and cooperative education mechanism. Emphasis should be laid on continuously improving the quality of talents training and laying a solid foundation for national medical innovation in the long run.