Improving pharmaceutical care education in Uganda through sustainable experiential programs and research

Abstract

This paper details collaboration in elective global health Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) between six schools of pharmacy, four in the United States (U.S.) and two in Uganda. This collaboration was initiated to build capacity within Uganda to advance pharmacy practice by strengthening pharmaceutical care education and research, and to provide benefits in the global and public health education and research for U.S. students and each partner University. Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda sought out collaborations to improve pharmacy education in Uganda and alleviate shortages in faculty they have experienced in expanding pharmacy training. In response to this need, Wilkes University, Binghamton University, the University of Minnesota, and East Tennessee State University developed faculty‐led APPEs to help model and teach the principles of clinical pharmaceutical care. These faculty‐led APPEs occur in various Ugandan locations throughout the year and incorporate Ugandan and U.S. students as co‐learners. Ugandan and U.S. faculty act as co‐facilitators of didactic, experiential, and research learning experiences. APPE activities include modeling the provision of pharmaceutical care, interprofessional patient care on inpatient wards, joint didactic lectures and case presentations, skills laboratory sessions, and research components. Developed to serve the needs of both the U.S. and Ugandan partners, the elective global health APPEs to Uganda have grown to be sustainable, mutually beneficial collaborations between the six schools of pharmacy and the Ugandan partners. Formal and informal communications between all of the entities involved have helped support continuity of these programs. We recommend such initiatives to other countries and institutions desiring to improve training for pharmaceutical care to advance pharmacy practice.

Evaluating the role of intern pharmacists in pharmaceutical care in hospitals in Uganda

“…In the study, it was found that while intern pharmacists were deemed knowledgeable in pharmaceutical care by prescribers, there was a need for them to apply this knowledge more directly to patient conditions. This includes roles such as monitoring the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in patients and documenting adverse drug reactions (Bohan et al 2020 ). In Australia, the involvement of pharmacists in tasks such as medication chart reviews, ward rounds, and therapeutic drug monitoring was found to be beneficial in improving patient outcomes (Natalia Krzyżaniak and Bajorek 2019 ).…”

“…PSU issues a temporary certificate of practice to interns who practice in hospital sites under supervision. These intern pharmacists are relied upon as a major part of the healthcare workforce in hospitals in Uganda (Bohan et al 2020 ).…”