Curriculum update for future pharmacy technicians to enhance rational use of antibiotics in Turkey

Abstract

Abstract Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most important global public health issues and training of healthcare professionals and the public needs to be an integral part of all AMR efforts. In 2015, four out of six countries with the highest antibiotic consumption rate in the world were low and middle-income countries, where Turkey was reported as the country with the highest consumption. Methods This paper aims to present a new undergraduate course entitled “Rational use of antibiotics”, specifically designed for pharmacy technician students to increase their awareness on AMR and to equip them with knowledge and skills in promoting rational antibiotic use. The curriculum update was part of a larger international project, supported by the Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership Program (Project no: 2015-1-TR01-KA204-022393). Results Pharmacy technicians are among the most critical health professionals regarding rational antibiotic use because they can play a significant role in educating potential antibiotic users and have a multiplier effect in disseminating evidence-based knowledge. The 16-week long undergraduate course was designed by pharmacy and public health faculty with a multidisciplinary approach, focusing on topics such as epidemiology and control of communicable diseases, antibiotics, AMR and its public health consequences, legal regulations and medical practice regarding rational antibiotic use, as well as principles and methods of health promotion and health education. Conclusions Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the newly introduced undergraduate course on the rational use of antibiotics showed promising results, which indicate that designing specific courses for health professions students to combat AMR can be more widely practiced in countries with high antibiotic consumption. Public health academics can take a leading role and responsibility in the design of such multidisciplinary courses for undergraduate programs in health care. Key messages Specific courses on rational use of antibiotics can be effective in changing knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of healthcare professionals, and consecutively the general public in combatting AMR. Public health academics can take a leading role and responsibility in design of such multidisciplinary courses for undergraduate programs in health care.