Stakeholders' Perspectives on Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Objective. To explore pharmacy stakeholders' perspectives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) on pharmacy education and quality assurance. Method. Thirty-two interviews were conducted with professionals from 15 EMR countries, exploring pharmacy education in the region. Themes were mapped to the five pillars of the International Pharmaceutical Federation's Global Framework on Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Education. Results. Nine challenges were identified across the framework on country-, institution-, and faculty-level. These challenges were political-socioeconomic instability; limited accreditation and quality assurance measures; insufficient engagement of professional organizations; disconnect between academia, practice and regulatory sectors; curricula shortcomings; skills-gaps; absence of competency frameworks; inconsistencies in pre-registration training; and professional development mechanisms. Conclusion. Vast inter-/intra-regional variability in pharmacy education and quality assurance measures was revealed. The lack of pharmacy-specific national/regional competency frameworks and quality assurance systems has implications for stakeholders in the profession. Progress in this area is crucial for pharmacy education in the EMR.