Why Pharmacists Need Education in the Humanities: A Medical Professional Educator's Viewpoint

Abstract

Over the past few decades, pharmacists' work has changed from product-centered tasks to patient-centered care. In response to such social changes and needs, the pharmacy education course was also extended from 4 to 6 years, and the importance of the humanities in the curriculum (e.g., medical psychology, medical ethics, and communication) is now recognized. The Model Core Curriculum for Pharmacy Education, 2013 version, described 10 professional competencies for pharmacists (professionalism, patient-oriented attitude, communication skills, interprofessional team care, basic sciences, medication therapy management, community health and medical care, research, lifelong learning, and education and training) and stated that the humanities are a foundation of pharmaceutical education. However, a report by the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (2014) expressed concern that clinical practice was not connected with knowledge of the humanities. It is educationally meaningful when pharmacists who studied the humanities can then offer the best medical care to patients. In order to utilize knowledge of the humanities in the clinical setting, educators need to provide opportunities for active learning. Furthermore, the humanities are useful to help pharmacists acquire meta-cognition.