Strategic job market-guided development of pharmacy bachelor's curriculum and its importance in maintaining the profession viability in the Middle Eastern countries: Colleges of pharmacy in the UAE as a model

Taher Hatahet; Hala Al-Obaidi; Ismaiel A Tekko; Tianbao Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2022.06.023

Strategic job market-guided development of pharmacy bachelor's curriculum and its importance in maintaining the profession viability in the Middle Eastern countries: Colleges of pharmacy in the UAE as a model

Saudi Pharm J. 2022 Sep;30(9):1283-1292. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.06.023. Epub 2022 Jun 28.

Authors

Taher Hatahet¹, Hala Al-Obaidi^{1

2}, Ismaiel A Tekko^{1

3}, Tianbao Chen^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast, UK.
² College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates.
³ Faculty of Pharmacy, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria.
⁴ China Medical University and Queen's University Joint College, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.

Abstract

The Middle East has high youth population; however, it is challenged by uncertain economic situation. Higher education plays a crucial role in the development of nations by equipping generations with the knowledge and skill through cumulative curriculum development. Like other professions, pharmacy is a dynamic field of study where continuous improvements are required to keep the viability of the profession and endow future generations with up to date skills. This article describes a strategy for pharmacy curriculum development considering four layers. The strategy starts from the understanding of the current situation in a university, looking into national, international accreditations and job market. The strategy covers development from program to subject's level. The strategy is applied to pharmacy programs in the UAE. Upon analysis, several recommendations were obtained for curriculum improvements. At individual university level, there is a need to work on clinical oriented topics in the curriculum to fit with international accreditation and country's vision. Details on this can be taken form deeper analysis of job market and stakeholders in the UAE. On the national level, unifications of total credit hours for the degree across universities needs to be envisaged with limits on contact experiential hours. The strategy has the potential of extrapolating to other Middle Eastern countries.

Keywords: ACPE, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education; ACPE-ISP, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education - International Services Program; APC, Australian Pharmacy Council; BPharm, Bachelor of Pharmacy; Bachelor of pharmacy; C.H., Credit Hour; CAA, the Commission for Academic Accreditation; CCAPP, Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs; Curriculum development; GMU, Gulf Medical University; HCT, Higher Colleges of Technology; MENA, the Middle East and North Africa region; MoE, Ministry of Education; MoH, Ministry of Health and Prevention; PLOs, Program Learning Outcomes; Pharmacy education; Pharmacy job market; RAK, Ras Al-Khaimah Medical University; SOPs, Standard Operating Procedures; UAE, United Arab Emirates; UK, United Kingdom; United Arab Emirates.