Sujin Yoo1, Seungyeon Song2, Sangmi Lee3, Kwangil Kwon4, Eunyoung Kim2. 1. College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, South Korea ; Department of Pharmacy, Eulji University Hospital. Daejeon 302-799, South Korea. 2. College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, South Korea. 3. Department of Pharmacy, Eulji University Hospital. Daejeon 302-799, South Korea. 4. College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, South Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To address the academic gap (or lack of adequate training and programs) between 4- and 6-year pharmacy programs and suggest methods for reducing this gap and to evaluate pharmacists' perceptions of preceptorship. METHODS: We surveyed a convenience sample of 200 community pharmacists who graduated from a 4-year program who were participating in a continuing education program for clinical pharmacy as organized by the Daejeon branch of the Korea Pharmaceutical Association in 2011. Twenty-one questions were asked about the academic gap, needs for an education program, preceptorship, and medication therapy management services. International precedents were examined through a literature review to glean ideas of how to bridge the academic gap between the 4- and 6-year programs. RESULTS: In total, 132 pharmacists answered the survey (return rate=66.0%). The survey findings included problems caused by the academic gap, high need for an adequate education program, low acceptability of preceptorship, and the possibility of medication therapy management services. US-based, non-traditional PharmD programs and new curriculum-support training in Japan provided examples of how the academic gap has been successfully bridged. CONCLUSION: Nationwide efforts and government support are urgently required to close the academic gap, and experiential education should be included in transitional programs for 4-year pharmacy program pharmacists.
OBJECTIVE: To address the academic gap (or lack of adequate training and programs) between 4- and 6-year pharmacy programs and suggest methods for reducing this gap and to evaluate pharmacists' perceptions of preceptorship. METHODS: We surveyed a convenience sample of 200 community pharmacists who graduated from a 4-year program who were participating in a continuing education program for clinical pharmacy as organized by the Daejeon branch of the Korea Pharmaceutical Association in 2011. Twenty-one questions were asked about the academic gap, needs for an education program, preceptorship, and medication therapy management services. International precedents were examined through a literature review to glean ideas of how to bridge the academic gap between the 4- and 6-year programs. RESULTS: In total, 132 pharmacists answered the survey (return rate=66.0%). The survey findings included problems caused by the academic gap, high need for an adequate education program, low acceptability of preceptorship, and the possibility of medication therapy management services. US-based, non-traditional PharmD programs and new curriculum-support training in Japan provided examples of how the academic gap has been successfully bridged. CONCLUSION: Nationwide efforts and government support are urgently required to close the academic gap, and experiential education should be included in transitional programs for 4-year pharmacy program pharmacists.
Keywords:
South Korea; academic gap; preceptorship; survey; transitional program
Authors: David H Kreling; William R Doucette; Elizabeth H Chang; Caroline A Gaither; David A Mott; Jon C Schommer Journal: Am J Pharm Educ Date: 2010-11-10 Impact factor: 2.047