Ma. Eva C. San Juan
Objective: This study was conducted to identify and establish the UIC B.S. Pharmacy graduates’ competencies for advanced clinical pharmacy practice and assess the UIC BS Pharmacy Program and Facilities under a Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis. That by testing their competency level on the following areas: effective communication, basic clinical skills, diagnosis, management, therapeutics and prevention, social and community contexts of health care, moral reasoning and ethical judgment, problem solving and professionalism as well as role recognition, this study may provide them support and guidance for their actual-based practice in clinical setting scenarios.
Methods: A total of 96 respondents were taken from UIC B.S. Pharmacy graduates under four and five year curriculum. The Likert - scaling technique was employed in this study. The average weighted means of the categories of data were computed in order to obtain their respective descriptive equivalents. Z-test posted a significant difference in the perceptual responses of the graduates from a four-year to a five-year curriculum.
Results: Majority of the respondents belonging to age bracket 31-45 years, are females and graduated from the four-year curriculum. Majority of them are currently employed in hospitals and community pharmacies. Findings revealed that the pharmacy graduates lacked the competencies required to perform advanced clinical pharmacy practice. Most of the respondents posted a descriptive equivalence of uncertainty as their competency level on the seven areas studied. This poses the challenge to a more intensified curriculum and comprehensive training programs relevant to hone the knowledge, skills, and expertise of its graduates.
Conclusion: The Strengths and Weaknesses analysis of B.S. Pharmacy Program and Facilities based on the following areas namely, Faculty, Instruction, Library, Laboratory, Research and Community Extension and Services, provided for the necessary recommendations for this study. Recommendations include only on the areas of faculty, library, laboratory and research.
