Development and Refinement of a Matrix Competency Framework, with Associated Entrustable Professional Activities, to...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Competency-Based Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Competency frameworks are essential for developing competency-based education.
• Country-specific frameworks are crucial for addressing local healthcare needs.
• This study focuses on developing a framework for undergraduate pharmacy education in Kuwait.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development process of a unique matrix-structured competency framework for Kuwait's undergraduate pharmacy education.
• To ensure the framework aligns with local population needs for pharmacy services.
• To establish a foundation for curriculum revision and implementation.

Main Methods:

• A needs assessment was conducted with key stakeholders.
• Global educational outcomes were identified.
• Qualitative data were thematically analyzed to identify competency domains and entrustable professional activities (EPAs).

Main Results:

• Five population needs were identified, leading to 17 suggested EPAs.
• Eleven competency domains were identified.
• An initial 3x8 matrix framework was developed, later refined to remove redundancies and create a global behavior competency profile.

Conclusions:

• The developed matrix competency framework and EPAs provide a foundation for training pharmacists in Kuwait.
• This framework will help prepare pharmacists to meet local population needs and expand their scope of practice.
• It supports the advancement of pharmacy education and practice within the country.