NEED OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN PHARMACEUTICAL CURRICULUM_An essay by Vadivukkarasi

INTRODUCTION:
          In this world of specialization and globalization the Pharmacy education is suffering from serious backdrops and flaws. The potentials for growth of Pharmacy profession is enormous, if we are prepared to upgrade our standards to international and global expectations.  The Education Regulation of PCI which governs diploma education in India has not undergone any updation since 20 years. The students are still getting the 20-30 yrs older compounding practical exposure in labs during the graduation level. The current frame work of Pharmacy education in India produces outdated and unskilled professionals. The products of this form of education lack the much needed professionalism and rational thinking. 4 yrs of education in graduation level does not even make them fit for dispensing drugs confidently in a drug store. This is one of the main reasons behind Pharmacy being an under developed profession in India. We also suggest the application of TQM and innovation ecosystems in Pharmacy education. We urge all the pharmacists to be a part and parcel of this rejuvenation process. The mushrooming growth of Pharmacy colleges in India has contributed to the deterioration of in the standards of Pharmacy education in India. It has become obligatory that the Pharmacy colleges have to improve their status to sustain their existence.

NEED  SKILLS  FOR BECOMING GOOD PHARMACIST

1. ATENTION TO DETAIL

The primary goal of anyone working in Pharmacy is to dispense medication in a quick and accurate manner. Accuracy is more important. Giving the customer the right medication and the right dosage can be a real matter of life or death. Some medicines have serious or fatal side effects when a patient combines them with other medicines or takes them in large doses. An eye for detail and staying alert will serve you well in a Pharmacy. These skills are essential whether you’re distributing medication or putting patient information into the computer.

 

2. Computer Literacy

Most pharmacies today are connected to the internet. Computers allow medical providers to send prescriptions electronically. Likewise, computers also allow for easier storage of customer data, insurance information and inventory counts. You must be comfortable using a computer if you plan to work in a Pharmacy.

 

3. Strong Math And Science Skills

Although most of the work is done via computer, Pharmacy work requires the ability to perform calculations specific to medication. You must understand percentages, fractions and units of measurement. You also need a solid knowledge of chemistry, anatomy and physiology to understand how the body reacts to different medications. Pharmacists use these skills to calculate doses and study patient profiles, but they’re also useful skills for Pharmacy techs.

4. Ability To Operate Pill Counting Machines

In some pharmacies, the pill counting is still done by hand by the pharmacist. In most cases, the pharmacist delegates those duties to a certified Pharmacy tech who uses a pill counting machine to get the job done. The pill counting machines offer more accurate, more efficient counting. Operating the pill counting machines requires some training, both in school and on the job.

5. Good Interpersonal skills        

No matter how knowledgeable you are about medicine and the human anatomy, you must be able to interact well with the customers. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential to working successfully in health-related settings. You will interact with people every day, including your colleagues, patients, physicians and other healthcare professionals. People who work in a Pharmacy work as a team, so you must have a team-oriented approach to your work.

Pharmacists and Pharmacy techs are important members of the healthcare community. The jobs encompass a wide range of duties, from taking inventory, to dispensing medications and keeping records. With the essential skills listed above – attention to detail, computer literacy, a strong background in math and science, familiarity with pill counting machines and excellent communication skills – you’ll be more than prepared to tackle the various job duties. While you learn a great deal about the job in school, you’ll learn much more on the job when what you’ve studied combines with real-life experience.

Here are five must-have skills you’ll need to be successful:

Accurate manner: Accuracy is more important. Giving the customer the right medication and the right dosage can be a real matter of life or death. Some medicines have serious or fatal side effects when a patient combines them with other medicines or takes them in large doses. An eye for detail and staying alert will serve you well in a Pharmacy. These skills are essential whether you’re distributing medication or putting patient information into the computer.

Bottom of Form

 FLAWS IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM

·       Entry of unqualified and non-meritorious students into the course.

·       Non focused and unspecialized way of learning.

·       Out dated curriculum and educational regulations.Lack of industrial and clinical exposure. Unskilled ways of practical and lab training in the institutes.

·       Research output from Indian educational labs rarely lead to commercialization and revenue generation.

NEED OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN                                                                                                   PHARMACEUTICAL CURRICULM

·       Priority over research in our universities.

·       Institutional base of research in India is extremely narrow serious research is limited to a few ‘elite’ institutes.

How to improve the situation?

           A system should be devised so that each and every student gets an opportunity to freely think and develop his skills to the maximum. Professionalism can be cultivated only through rational ways of thinking and performing. Students should come out with their ideas and suggestions in any aspect of education and especially be focused on innovative research. Most of our students are lacking an initial pull, which should be given by the teachers or the college. Students should also be trained to improve their presentation skills and their personality.

Coming to the educational aspect, much emphasis should be given to industrial and practical exposure. Clinical and practical training should be given more importance and made a part of the curriculum. Research oriented way of learning is more effective rather than mugging up a lot of theory. The knowledge of a Pharmacy student should be current and always the updation of his knowledge is necessary. He should be aware of what are the latest changes going in the field of Pharmacy. A student should learn to evaluate himself and try to continuously improve his knowledge levels.

INSIGHT INTO CONCEPT OF INNOVATION ECO SYSTEM

The concept of the innovation system stresses that the flow of technology and information among people, enterprises and institutions is key to an innovative process. It involves the interaction between the elements, who indeed should turn an idea into a process, product or service resulting in national economic growth. Innovation ecosystems refer to the inter-organizational, political, economic, environmental and technological systems through which a milieu conducive to business growth is catalyzed, sustained and supported. Innovation ecosystem is an integrated approach for development. Innovation is something that generates value. Innovators must be challenged to produce solutions that society needs.

The role of universities in creating regional innovation ecosystems:

1.     Focus on grand challenges                           .

2.     The strong role of universities is crucial: Based on Knowledge Triangle, i.e. Synergy between research, education and innovation.

3.     Modernize the Triple Helix cooperation: University – Industry – Cities .

4.     Living labs and user-driven innovations: Focus on people and process development.

COUNSELLING SYSTEM TO BE BROUGHT UNDER THE SCANNER

The present counselling system proves to be the first and foremost reason for the degradation of the profession in the country. The system creates a situation in which anyone who has money can get a seat in B. Pharm without the basic qualifications. The system has to be scrutinized and some regulations have to be made which assures that the meritorious students are entering into the profession. A centralized allotment procedure (CAP) is to be introduced to regulate the entry of students into the Pharmacy stream, which is purely based on the merit all throughout the country.

QUALITY ASSURANCE IN PHARMACY EDUCATION

Quality is the key word for success of an institution. It is the essence for survival of a professional institution like Pharmacy. The vision and mission of the institution speak of quality as an ultimate goal. Recognizing the need to support and strengthen Pharmacy education worldwide, in November 2007, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), formed the Pharmacy Education Taskforce. The Taskforce is a coordinating body of organizations, agencies, institutions, and individuals with the shared goal of catalyzing actions to develop Pharmacy education.

Reflect the vision for Pharmacy practice and education that has been developed The QA system should:

·       through profession wide consensus.

·       Allow appropriate input from all stakeholders, including students and the public.

·       Ensure that educational programs are evidence and competency-based, of high quality and meet the needs of the people, the pharmacists and their country.

·       Evaluate programmatic outcomes as well as institutional structures and processes.

·       Be transparent and be free of inappropriate influences and appearances of conflicts of interest in its development and implementation.

·       Promote and foster self-assessment and continuous quality improvement of educational institutions.

·       Be accountable to the appropriate governmental authorities.

The levels of hierarchy in a Pharmacy institution

Self-evaluation charts

Self-evaluation is an important part of TQM. Education is a customer focused industry. Every student should be capable of evaluating themselves for continuously improving their quality. They must have a thorough understanding of their strength and weakness. Self-evaluation charts (SEC) is a statistical data which is to be prepared by every student in the form of a graph or flow chart which is an indication of his progress in education related aspects. It seems to be a simple concept but it is a powerful tool. Preparation of SEC'S should be made compulsory from graduation level itself in all colleges. Periodic analysis of the chart should be done by the teacher in the presence of the student and discussions should be conducted and suggestions to improve should be put forward.

Applications of SEC's

·       A student gets the opportunity to evaluate himself.

·       It is an indication of a student's progress in academics or related activities.

·       It is also helpful to faculty members to analyze the progress of a student in academics.

E.g.: Recording of marks for a student in a particular session in seminars, assignments etc.

Seminars and presentations as powerful tools in quality education

Seminars and presentations turns about to be the most important tools in improving the quality of education in an institution. It is very important for a student to be skilled in making presentations and giving a seminar on a topic. Seminars should be given especially on the topics which are of current importance and recently under research. Seminars should be made compulsory from graduation level and should be a criterion for evaluation of the students.

Benefits

·       It improves the understanding of the subject.

·       Researching attitudes of the students are developed.

·       Improves presentation, listening and reading skills of the students.

·       Inculcates professionalism.

·       Overview of subjects in an easy and comfortable way.

·       Interesting way of learning.

·       Information sharing becomes easier and the subject becomes more digestable to the students.

Suggestions

For graduation level: Minimum 5 seminars in an academic year.

For post-graduation level: Minimum 30 seminars in an academic year.

PROFESSIONAL DISCRIMINATION DUE TO LACK OF CLINICAL EXPOSURE

Clinical Pharmacy is one of the most important branches in Pharmacy. The present curriculum includes all the theoretical aspects of the particular subject but unfortunately the practical exposure is an absolute zero. This is the most important reasons for the professional degradation and discrimination of pharmacists in the country. We should include case studies in the graduation level in the subject of clinical Pharmacy which can enrich our practical exposure in the medical field and also help us to be recognized as a profession of prime importance in the health care system in India. Working with some case studies in the hospitals gives the students a clear idea of what happens in a health care system, how the theoretical part differs from the practical work outs. The actual treatment procedures in the clinical set up is far different from what we study in theory and is necessary that a clinical pharmacist should be in touch with all this procedures. The curriculum should be revised so that the student gets the opportunity to be accustomed with the actual situation in a clinic rather than mugging up chunks of theory.

COUNSELING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS

An educational institution should provide the student with a stress free atmosphere for learning and developing his intellectual capabilities. But the situation is just the other way round in many institutions. The students are under stress due to the work over loads and inefficient time management, totally the academic life becomes horrible for them. Here comes the importance of counselling and its benefits to the students.

Benefits of counselling centre

·       Gives the students an opportunity to share their problems.

·       They can get solutions for their queries in academics and their personal life.

·       It can improve the confidence of the students.

·       Mental strengthening provides the stress free atmosphere for the student.

·       An overall improvement in the student intellects especially in academics.

·       Creating some smart professionals in the

CONCLUSION

·       This essay was written with aim of addressing the major issues related with Pharmacy education system in India and suggesting some basic level “strategy shift” for improving the situation. Revival of the Pharmacy education in India is the need of the hour and a master plan with an international perspective and its immediate implementation is the only solution.