The Shift from East to West: A New Era in UAE Pharmacy Education
Clinical training (CT) undertaken by pharmacy students involves interactive experiences with patients and healthcare professionals at community pharmacies and hospital departments. Over the past few decades, CT models across the world have changed significantly in terms of hours, specializations, and mentorship structures. In North America, the expansion of CT is reflected in the initiation of the four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) program and corresponding curriculum changes, implemented in the U.S. in 2006 and Canada in 2014. Prior to these changes, CT varied across schools (Al-Azzawi, A., 2021, 2023). The new model includes early exposure to community pharmacy and advanced experiences in hospitals, totaling over 1,700 hours. In response, the UAE Ministry of Education directed pharmacy schools to adopt a clinically oriented curriculum to secure accreditation starting in 2018. This policy, drafted by The Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), aims to develop pharmacy programs and support the country’s national healthcare goals (The UAE Government Portal, 2018).
Pharmacy Education and CT Before 2018
Before 2018, UAE pharmacy schools, like others in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, primarily offered a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) or Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BSc. Pharm), a four to five-year degree focused on basic sciences in the first two years. Clinical training occurred in the final year, divided among community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and the pharmaceutical industry, totaling at most 500 hours. The new policy aims to produce graduates who are well-equipped for clinical roles and meet the demands of the evolving UAE healthcare system. Previously, the UAE adopted a UK model, where most clinical training occurred post-graduation during pre-licensing. The new policy represents a shift toward the North American approach, enhancing the status of UAE pharmacy schools as leading institutions in the MENA region.
My research aims to explore the current policies and practices governing UAE pharmacy education and their evolution over the past 20 years. I examine reforms supporting clinical practice and investigate systemic and infrastructural barriers to adopting the North American model. Interviews with leaders from educational and healthcare institutions and policymakers reveal significant changes: the number of community and hospital pharmacies has grown substantially in the past decade, driven by economic expansion. By 2019, there were 11,827 pharmacists in the UAE healthcare system, predominantly in the private sector (Ministry of Health and Prevention, 2021). New pharmacy programs will contribute to the pharmacy task force by producing graduates focused on medication management and inter-professional collaboration, ultimately shifting the profession from a drug-centered to a patient-centered approach.
Pharmacy Education and CT After 2018
Research findings indicate that all pharmacy schools in the UAE have updated their curricula over the past nine years to enhance clinical training. Some institutions have initiated PharmD and graduate programs, designating pharmacists as ‘clinical pharmacists’ by regulatory bodies. A recent achievement of the CAA is its partnership with the U.S. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), helping UAE pharmacy schools secure accreditation (Commission for Academic Accreditation, 2021). Schools must now adhere to CAA and ACPE standards, focusing on clinical training. To obtain ACPE accreditation, schools are required to increase clinical training hours, diversify hospital experiences, encourage mentorship, and implement competency-based assessments. Currently, all nine pharmacy schools in the UAE are either accredited or in the process of accreditation. My interviews highlight the substantial impact of these regulatory bodies on improving educational practices and the profession.
Challenges Ahead
Pharmacists in the UAE face numerous challenges in academia and practice. The newly adopted model requires infrastructural, legislative, and societal support. Government assistance is essential for drafting policies to appoint newly trained pharmacists in clinical roles. In North America, clinical pharmacists have improved patient care and resource efficiency through effective medication management and evidence-based treatment plans. Further research is needed to explore the pharmaceutical landscape in the UAE, particularly concerning therapeutic procedures and institutional funding.
Enhancing legal frameworks and professional regulations is crucial, including redefining clinical roles to include pharmacists in medication planning and safety monitoring. Societal perceptions of pharmacists as mere dispensers hinder recognition of their clinical capabilities. Interviews with stakeholders reveal that changing these attitudes will require time and effort. However, the UAE's strong communication infrastructure and small population may facilitate quicker change. Addressing therapeutic practices and funding challenges is vital for the imported clinical training model to have a meaningful and sustained impact on pharmacy education and practice in the UAE.
References
Al-Azzawi, A. (2021). The relationship between pharmacy licensing policies on clinical training (CT) and success rates for international pharmacists (IPs) within Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States: A comparative policy analysis. Pharmacy Education, 21, p. 420–431. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2021.211.420431
Al-Azzawi, A. (2023). The case of clinical training for International Pharmacists in Canada: A comparative educational and policy analysis. Pharmacy Education, 23(1), p. 594–602. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2023.231.594602
Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). (2021). “CAA Collaboration with ACPE” https://www.caa.ae/MediaCenter/Pages/NEWS/CAA-Collab-with-ACPE.aspx
The Ministry of Health and Prevention. (2021). Statistics Open Data. Retrieved from https://smartapps.moh.gov.ae/ords/f?p=105:5311.
The United Arab Emirates' Government portal (2018). National Strategy for Higher Education 2030. Retrieved from https://government.ae/en/about-the-uae/strategies-initiatives-and-awards/federal-governments-strategies-and-plans/national-strategy-for-higher-education-2030.