- Email: [email protected]
Barriers to accepting community practice by pharmacists in Pakistan
Accepted Manuscript Barriers in Accepting Role in Community Pharmacy by Pharmacists in Pakistan Ahsan Saleem, PharmD
PII:
S1551-7411(15)00263-6
DOI:
10.1016/j.sapharm.2015.11.005
Reference:
RSAP 676
To appear in:
Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy
Received Date: 12 November 2015 Accepted Date: 12 November 2015
Please cite this article as: Saleem A, Barriers in Accepting Role in Community Pharmacy by Pharmacists in Pakistan, Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy (2015), doi: 10.1016/ j.sapharm.2015.11.005. This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
Barriers to Accepting Community Practice by Pharmacists in Pakistan Ahsan Saleem, PharmD Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100 Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Email: [email protected]
AC C
EP
TE D
M AN U
SC
RI PT
Conflicts of interest: None Source of Funding: None
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
BARRIERS IN ACCEPTING ROLE IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY BY PHARMACISTS IN PAKISTAN I read with great interest the letter to editor by Saeed Ahmad Khan,1 wherein he appraised the importance of community pharmacy for pharmacists in Pakistan. Community pharmacists are
RI PT
an integral component of patient care, as they deal directly deal with the public. However, severe lack of motivation is observed in Pakistani pharmacists in accepting community pharmacy as a profession due to factors such as inferior remuneration, and lack of respect.1 PharmD students obtain a degree after 5 years in university. After such arduous studying, it is
SC
reasonable to expect appropriate remuneration from the job. A recent study showed that the majority of pharmacy students expected PKR 50000+ (USD≈474.23) monthly salary.2 But when
M AN U
they start their professional careers in community pharmacies, they are offered only PKR (Pakistani Rupee) 13000-18000 (USD≈123.30-170.72) per month for working 8-10 hours per day. In the pharmaceutical industry, they are offered approximately PKR 12000-20000 (USD≈113.81-189.69) per month. However, in sales and marketing they are offered PKR 3500050000 (USD≈331.96-474.23) salary per month. Due to such discrepancies and poor pay, it is little wonder that we observe lack of interest in careers in community pharmacy. Hence,
TE D
graduates prefer pharmaceutical industry and sales and marketing jobs. The role of pharmacists has undergone a paradigm shift and became more clinically oriented, with the introduction of the PharmD. Pharmacy education has undergone evolutionary changes
EP
since 1978-2003 in Pakistan; but unfortunately, the essence behind this educational evolution toward a more clinically oriented PharmD degree is still not well understood in Pakistan.3,
4
AC C
PharmD syllabuses taught at western institutions are well organized as compared to the Pakistani educational institution PharmD syllabus. The community pharmacy sector has not yet been acknowledged as a separate discipline in Pakistan. During 2004-2011, community pharmacy was taught as a 60-marks subject titled “Dispensing and Community Pharmacy”, and after revision of the PharmD syllabus which was drafted in 2011 and finalized in 2013, the subject was simply renamed as “Dispensing, Community, Social and Administrative Pharmacy” without any significant modifications in syllabus contents.5, 6 In addition, there is no structured practical training component for pharmacy students related to community pharmacy in
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
Pakistan.3 These barriers are significantly affecting the choice of profession in Pakistani PharmD students, making them less familiar with community pharmacy practices and discouraging them from accepting community pharmacist profession.
RI PT
Conclusion Personal motivation, lack of respect, and inferior remuneration are significant barriers in accepting the role of pharmacists in community pharmacy in Pakistan. However, several other factors, such as poorly planned course syllabi in education, inadequate resources, and lack of
SC
practical training of pharmacy students are also affecting the acceptance of pharmacists’ role in community pharmacy. Hence, the curriculum should be revised in light of international
M AN U
standards and expert opinions of local and international pharmacy professionals. More practical experience to accompany theory-based knowledge will inspire confidence and acceptance of and by pharmacists toward community practice. Conflicts of interest: None
REFERENCES:
TE D
Source of Funding: None
AC C
EP
1. Khan SA. Time for Pharmacists to Accept Their Role in Community Pharmacy: Pakistan Perspective. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2015. 2. Shakeel S, Iffat W, Yasmin R, Ali H. Prospective career preferences of imminent pharmacist. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy. 2013;3:38-43. 3. Madiha Yang CQ. Curriculum and pharmacy practice experience offered for PharmD in Pakistan: Needs and possibilities. International Current Pharmaceutical Journal. 2014;3:313317. 4. Azhar S, Hassali MA, Ibrahim MIM, Ahmad M, Masood I, Shafie AA. The role of pharmacists in developing countries: The current scenario in Pakistan. Human Resources for Health. 2009;7:1-6. 5. PharmD curriculum: Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan; 2004 [cited 2015 11 November]. Available from: http://hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/AECA/CurriculumRevision/Documents/Pharmacy%20 2004.pdf. 6. PharmD curriculum: Pharmacy Council of Pakistan; 2013 [cited 2015 11 November]. Available from: http://www.pharmacycouncil.org.pk/doc/Pharm%20D%20Curriculum%20Final%202013.pdf.
PII:
S1551-7411(15)00263-6
DOI:
10.1016/j.sapharm.2015.11.005
Reference:
RSAP 676
To appear in:
Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy
Received Date: 12 November 2015 Accepted Date: 12 November 2015
Please cite this article as: Saleem A, Barriers in Accepting Role in Community Pharmacy by Pharmacists in Pakistan, Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy (2015), doi: 10.1016/ j.sapharm.2015.11.005. This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
Barriers to Accepting Community Practice by Pharmacists in Pakistan Ahsan Saleem, PharmD Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100 Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Email: [email protected]
AC C
EP
TE D
M AN U
SC
RI PT
Conflicts of interest: None Source of Funding: None
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
BARRIERS IN ACCEPTING ROLE IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY BY PHARMACISTS IN PAKISTAN I read with great interest the letter to editor by Saeed Ahmad Khan,1 wherein he appraised the importance of community pharmacy for pharmacists in Pakistan. Community pharmacists are
RI PT
an integral component of patient care, as they deal directly deal with the public. However, severe lack of motivation is observed in Pakistani pharmacists in accepting community pharmacy as a profession due to factors such as inferior remuneration, and lack of respect.1 PharmD students obtain a degree after 5 years in university. After such arduous studying, it is
SC
reasonable to expect appropriate remuneration from the job. A recent study showed that the majority of pharmacy students expected PKR 50000+ (USD≈474.23) monthly salary.2 But when
M AN U
they start their professional careers in community pharmacies, they are offered only PKR (Pakistani Rupee) 13000-18000 (USD≈123.30-170.72) per month for working 8-10 hours per day. In the pharmaceutical industry, they are offered approximately PKR 12000-20000 (USD≈113.81-189.69) per month. However, in sales and marketing they are offered PKR 3500050000 (USD≈331.96-474.23) salary per month. Due to such discrepancies and poor pay, it is little wonder that we observe lack of interest in careers in community pharmacy. Hence,
TE D
graduates prefer pharmaceutical industry and sales and marketing jobs. The role of pharmacists has undergone a paradigm shift and became more clinically oriented, with the introduction of the PharmD. Pharmacy education has undergone evolutionary changes
EP
since 1978-2003 in Pakistan; but unfortunately, the essence behind this educational evolution toward a more clinically oriented PharmD degree is still not well understood in Pakistan.3,
4
AC C
PharmD syllabuses taught at western institutions are well organized as compared to the Pakistani educational institution PharmD syllabus. The community pharmacy sector has not yet been acknowledged as a separate discipline in Pakistan. During 2004-2011, community pharmacy was taught as a 60-marks subject titled “Dispensing and Community Pharmacy”, and after revision of the PharmD syllabus which was drafted in 2011 and finalized in 2013, the subject was simply renamed as “Dispensing, Community, Social and Administrative Pharmacy” without any significant modifications in syllabus contents.5, 6 In addition, there is no structured practical training component for pharmacy students related to community pharmacy in
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
Pakistan.3 These barriers are significantly affecting the choice of profession in Pakistani PharmD students, making them less familiar with community pharmacy practices and discouraging them from accepting community pharmacist profession.
RI PT
Conclusion Personal motivation, lack of respect, and inferior remuneration are significant barriers in accepting the role of pharmacists in community pharmacy in Pakistan. However, several other factors, such as poorly planned course syllabi in education, inadequate resources, and lack of
SC
practical training of pharmacy students are also affecting the acceptance of pharmacists’ role in community pharmacy. Hence, the curriculum should be revised in light of international
M AN U
standards and expert opinions of local and international pharmacy professionals. More practical experience to accompany theory-based knowledge will inspire confidence and acceptance of and by pharmacists toward community practice. Conflicts of interest: None
REFERENCES:
TE D
Source of Funding: None
AC C
EP
1. Khan SA. Time for Pharmacists to Accept Their Role in Community Pharmacy: Pakistan Perspective. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2015. 2. Shakeel S, Iffat W, Yasmin R, Ali H. Prospective career preferences of imminent pharmacist. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy. 2013;3:38-43. 3. Madiha Yang CQ. Curriculum and pharmacy practice experience offered for PharmD in Pakistan: Needs and possibilities. International Current Pharmaceutical Journal. 2014;3:313317. 4. Azhar S, Hassali MA, Ibrahim MIM, Ahmad M, Masood I, Shafie AA. The role of pharmacists in developing countries: The current scenario in Pakistan. Human Resources for Health. 2009;7:1-6. 5. PharmD curriculum: Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan; 2004 [cited 2015 11 November]. Available from: http://hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/AECA/CurriculumRevision/Documents/Pharmacy%20 2004.pdf. 6. PharmD curriculum: Pharmacy Council of Pakistan; 2013 [cited 2015 11 November]. Available from: http://www.pharmacycouncil.org.pk/doc/Pharm%20D%20Curriculum%20Final%202013.pdf.