Nationwide collaborative development of learning outcomes and exemplar standards for Australian pharmacy programmes

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Higher Education Standards
• Professional Accreditation

Background:

• Pharmacy graduate preparation has shifted from capacities to competencies, and now to graduate outcomes.
• There's a growing emphasis on specifying and ensuring accountability for student learning outcomes in pharmacy education.
• This shift necessitates implications for teaching and assessment strategies in pharmacy programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To harmonize diverse expectations and regulatory requirements for Australian pharmacy education programs.
• To develop national learning outcomes and exemplar standards for all entry-level pharmacy graduates.
• To establish a consistent benchmark for pharmacy graduates prior to their internship.

Main Methods:

• A participatory action research framework was employed.
• Involved academic staff from Australian pharmacy schools, pharmacy student representatives, and the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC).
• Utilized an iterative process of dissemination and feedback seeking.

Main Results:

• Formulated national pharmacy learning outcomes and exemplar standards (PhLOS) for all entry-level pharmacy graduates.
• The developed PhLOS have received endorsement from both pharmacy students and academics.
• Successfully harmonized expectations and regulatory requirements across Australian pharmacy programs.

Conclusions:

• Collaboratively developed learning outcomes and exemplar standards for Australian pharmacy programs.
• These PhLOS harmonize various expectations and regulatory requirements in pharmacy education.
• Application of PhLOS ensures a consistent graduate threshold across all entry-level pharmacy programs before internship.