Are Newly Graduated Pharmacists Competent to Perform Adequately in Hospitals? A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the qualifications and performance of newly graduated pharmacists and explore factors that affect their performance in public hospitals. Methods: This qualitative study included face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with hospital practitioner pharmacists. It was conducted between March and May 2023 in Kerbala province, Iraq. The participating pharmacists were selected purposefully because they had three or more years of work experience at governmental hospitals. The audio-recording interviews were transcribed. Thematic analyses were used to generate themes and subthemes from the interviews. Results: Twenty-seven hospital pharmacists participated in this study. The study found that there are several factors that have a negative impact on the performance of newly graduated pharmacists, including college-related and hospital-related factors. Education factors include classic methods of college teaching and the inadequate qualifications of new colleges. Hospital features, including inadequate qualifications for continuous medical education, tools and resources, can also impact pharmacist performance. Additionally, the overwhelming number of pharmacists negatively impacts their training and qualifications. Conclusions: Greater emphasis should be placed on enhancing the pharmacists' practical skills. Close and integrated collaboration between the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Health is pivotal to enhancing the performance level of prospective pharmacists in hospitals. Finally, controlling the number of admitted students to pharmacy colleges is critical to providing them with adequate training.