Background: In our previous study regarding infection prevention after COVID-19, many Japanese citizen respondents had not received education/training on infection prevention. However, a total of 47.7% (n = 143) of these respondents wanted to receive education from healthcare professionals regarding the methods and effects of infection prevention. Therefore, changes in recognition of the roles of Japanese pharmacists before and after COVID-19 were investigated. Methods: We conducted a survey to determine whether recognition of Japanese pharmacists’ roles, especially their role in public health in the community, changed after COVID-19. Results: A total of 93.9% (n = 307) of the pharmacist respondents showed an increased awareness of infection prevention. Before COVID-19, the hospital pharmacists (67.2%; n = 80) were more aware of infection prevention than were pharmacy pharmacists (51.7%; n = 74) and drugstore pharmacists (47.7%; n = 31). The number of pharmacists who felt that the role of pharmacists in the community had changed after the pandemic increased, but the numbers of community pharmacy pharmacists (51.8%; n = 74) and drugstore pharmacists (55.4%; n = 36) were found to be slightly higher than those of hospital pharmacists (47.9%; n = 57). Conclusions: In a society in which swift responses and changes are required, for individuals to work as medical personnel their ability to respond while always being aware of the needs of society is required now more than ever.

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Background: The Standards for the Establishment of Universities in Japan were revised; subsequently, the number of schools or universities of pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences increased from 46 in 2002 to 74 in 2016.The pharmacy education programme was also changed from four to six years, which was implemented in 2006. In this study, we provide the comparative results of the first cycle of the third-party accrediting organization, the Japan Accreditation Board for Pharmaceutical Education (JABPE); Methods: The results of the first cycle of all universities or schools of pharmacy assessed by the JABPE from JABPE website were retrieved, and we collated and compared the results based on the 13 areas of the assessment standards; Results: In “improvements”, the number of public universities or schools was less than that of private universities or schools, and the number of old private universities or schools was also less than the number of new private universities or schools in all assessment areas. Conclusions: These results suggest that new universities or schools established since 2003 have not yet established their own quality assurance mechanism within the institutions. We need to review the Japanese pharmacy education system or the assessment criteria for it to bring about essential change.

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Objectives This study aims to assess pharmacy students and young pharmacists’ motives to pursue pharmacy degrees, their overall experiences and satisfaction with their pharmacy academic programmes, and their career aspirations and future plans. Methods Between May-2019 and March-2020, a self-administered online questionnaire was distributed via the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation and the Young Pharmacists Group at the International Pharmaceutical Federation. The questionnaire targeted pharmacy students and young pharmacists worldwide. Data were analysed descriptively and inferentially. Results In total, 1,423 pharmacy students and young pharmacists participated in the study. Almost 70% (993) of respondents reported that pharmacy was their first choice subject for study. Intentions for studying pharmacy were driven by an interest in healthcare, wanting to help people as well as an interest in science. In general, more than 60% of the participants had a satisfactory education experience. However, dissatisfaction was more prevalent among current pharmacy students in comparison to young pharmacists. Out of 1,423 participants, 1,110 (78%) showed a continuing desire to practice pharmacy. Being female and resident of a middle-income country increased the likelihood of being more satisfied with the academic programme. Having pharmacy as the subject first-choice and being generally satisfied with the academic programmes were positively associated with participants’ willingness to practice pharmacy. Conclusions Our study revealed that the majority of this extensive sample had pharmacy as their profession of choice and wanted to continue to practice in the future. In addition most of the targeted population indicated satisfaction with their pharmacy academic programmes.

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) currently estimates a shortage of approximately 18 million health workers worldwide, potentially impacting the achievement of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal on health. One of these goals is to stimulate and guide the creation of at least 40 million new jobs in the health and social sectors and reduce the projected shortage of 18 million health workers, primarily in low- and lower-middle-income countries, by 2030. However, since 2006, there have been few surveys conducted of internationally trained pharmacists worldwide, while surveys of internationally trained nurses and doctors are being conducted by the OECD, WHO and World Bank Group. Methods A global survey on intention to migrate was conducted through International Pharmacy Students’ Federation (IPSF), Young Pharmacists Group (YPG) at International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) members. The questionnaire was distributed via email with a cover letter to all IPSF and YPG members with a survey URL. Results This study showed some differences in “intention to migrate”, “the motivation to migrate”, “the length of stay in the host country”, “the satisfaction with initial pharmacy education, home country and home country pharmacists’ work” among the income levels as defined by the World Bank classification. Conclusion To improve the uneven distribution of pharmacists, an education system that connects initial pharmacy education and lifelong education might need to be created or altered to address the role of pharmacists in each country. To that end, we need to share knowledge and practices related the development and implementation of lifelong learning systems and the role of pharmacists in various countries worldwide through studies and the work of international organizations.

Background: The role of healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, is changing. Lifelong learning and continuing professional development (CPD) are more critical than ever for both current and future pharmacists in the face of global health challenges and new technologies, services and therapies that are continually and rapidly introduced into their daily practice. Currently, Japanese pharmacists’ licences are not renewable, although most developed countries have a renewal system. Therefore, understanding Japanese pharmacists’ perceptions of CPD is the first step in reviewing undergraduate and postgraduate education. Methods: The target population was Japanese pharmacists, i.e., community pharmacy pharmacists and hospital pharmacists. The participants were administered a questionnaire with 18 items related to continuing professional development. Results: Our study found that regarding item “Q16 Do you think you need further education in your undergraduate education to continue your professional development?”, (a) the ability to identify one’s own problems and issues, (b) the ability to make plans to solve problems and issues, (c) the ability to carry out plans to solve problems and issues and (d) the ability to repeat steps of self-development, approximately 60% of pharmacists answered that these aspects were “necessary” or “quite necessary”. Conclusion: As part of universities’ responsibility for the lifelong education of pharmacists, it is necessary to systematically conduct teaching seminars or undergraduate education or postgraduate education on self-development while training pharmacists to meet the needs of citizens.

Objective: To understand how physicians and nurses evaluate Japanese pharmacists’ observed competencies and to explore potential new roles for pharmacists during COVID-19. Methods: A web-based Japanese survey with 25 items assessing physicians’ and nurses’ workplaces and the degree of their relationship with pharmacists in their daily work was conducted (Intage, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) in Japan in June 2021 (for one week beginning on 22 June). The survey asked physicians and nurses whether pharmacists had the required professional competencies and whether the needs of physicians and nurses were met by pharmacists in their workplaces. The scored questionnaire data, which used a Likert scale, were calculated as the mean and standard deviation (S.D.). The perception assessment scale used four levels (1, Agree; 2, Slightly agree; 3, Slightly disagree; and 4, Disagree). Results: This perception study ultimately obtained responses from 304 physicians and 336 nurses. Most pharmacists’ competencies were evaluated as “Agree” or “Slightly agree” by the physicians and nurses. However, the competencies for “Fundamental basic science” and “Prescription analytical skill or case analytical skill” were evaluated significantly lower by physicians than by nurses (Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.01). Regarding physicians’ and nurses’ needs from pharmacists, nurses hoped that pharmacists could play a greater role as healthcare professionals in response to all items; in contrast, physicians hoped that pharmacists could play a greater role as healthcare professionals in response to five items. The common items were related to the role of healthcare professionals in the community. Conclusion: Our research is necessary for facilitating interprofessional collaboration and reflecting these results in pharmacy education by allowing physicians and nurses to assess the competencies of pharmacists and to understand their needs; however, these data are from only one country.