Development of a Curriculum for Foreign-trained Pharmacists Seeking Licensure in Canada

Authors

  • Zubin Austin

Keywords:

Keywords, Bridging education, Health professionals education, Immigrant-professionals, Foreign-trained professionals, Inter- national pharmacy graduates

Abstract

Demand for well-qualified health care professionals (including pharmacists) is projected to increase over the next ten to twenty years. In many jurisdictions, immigration will become an increasingly important human resource to replace aging, retiring workers and drive ongoing economic prosperity and growth. A lack of a systematic professional development and enculturation program for immigrant-professionals may result in unnecessary barriers. Bridging education provides a structured system for continuing professional development of professionals educated outside North America to acquire competencies and meet domestic standards of practice. The International Pharmacy Graduate Program in Ontario (Canada) has developed a model that has been recognized by the provincial government as “best- practice” for bridging education. This model consists of five elements: prior learning assessment and recognition, individualized learning plans, mentorship, distance learning opportunities, and peer-network formation. In particular, individualized learning plans link to a series of university-based courses (Canadian Pharmacy Skills I and II) benchmarked to B.Sc.Pharm educational outcomes. This paper describes development of these courses and results on candidates’ success rates in national licensing examinations.

References

Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) (1998) “Revised educational outcomes for a baccalaureate pharmacy program in Canada, Final Report” available at: http://www.afpc.info/downloads/association/ Outcomes%20Undergrad%201998.pdf

Austin, Z. (2003) “Continuous professional development and foreign-trained health-care professionals”, Journal of Social and Administrative Pharmacy 20(6), 232–241.

Austin, Z. and Galli, M. (2003) “Assessing communicative competency of international pharmacy graduates in Ontario, Canada”, Journal of Social and Administrative Pharmacy 20(6), 225 – 231.

Austin, Z., Galli, M. and Diamantouros, A. (2003) “Development of a prior learning assessment for pharmacists seeking licensure in Canada”, Pharmacy Education 3(2), 87–96.

Austin, Z., Marini, A., Croteau, D. and Violato, C. (2004) “Assessment of pharmacists patient care competencies: validity evidence from Ontario (Canada)’s quality assurance and peer review process”, Pharmacy Education 4(1), 23–32.

Knapp, D. (2020) “Professionally determined need for pharmacy services in 2020”, American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 66, 421–429.

Taylor, K., Bates, I. and Harding, G. (2004) “The implications of increasing student numbers for pharmacy education”, Pharmacy Education 4(1), 33–40.

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Published

12-08-2004

How to Cite

Austin, Z. (2004). Development of a Curriculum for Foreign-trained Pharmacists Seeking Licensure in Canada. Pharmacy Education, 4(4). Retrieved from https://pharmacyeducation.fip.org/pharmacyeducation/article/view/78

Issue

Section

Research Article