Chapter 18 - Leadership in Pharmacy Education

Abstract

The requirements of the pharmacy profession are changing globally, moving from a supply function to a more integrated health service delivery model. In line with this global change, the pharmacy education discipline is growing and evolving, and leadership in this area is developing globally. In 2016 the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) held the first global conference on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Education, delivering “a coherent global vision for professional pharmacy education and workforce development” (International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), 2016, p. 4), aimed to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and in particular Goal 3—Good Health and Well-Being (United Nations (UN), 2015). This chapter discusses the strategic direction that leaders in pharmacy education need to take in light of the challenges of a complex health system, and the evolving of new, expanded roles for pharmacists. This strategic direction aligns with global health workforce development goals. The authors describe some of the advanced scope roles pharmacists are undertaking, the skills required of our graduates to meet employers’ requirements and patients’ needs, and the type of leadership approach required to drive the change in the profession and in academic institutions. The WHO Vancouver Consultancy (International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), 2000) highlighted the need for a move away from the traditional, didactic mode of content delivery (with its passive transfer of knowledge) in pharmacy curricula, and for students to actively participate in the learning process. Therefore, the authors argue that leading change in pharmacy education requires leading change in curriculum design and delivery, and the authors describe what this new pharmacy curriculum might look like. Finally, the authors outline the strategic steps required to achieve this change.