[Profile of training courses offered in clinical pharmacy in hospitals: An exploratory North-South study]

Pharmacy practice has evolved considerably over time. Pharmacy education programs rely in particular on practical training placements in professional settings.

The primary objective was to describe and compare internship opportunities in hospital pharmacy offered as part of undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy training between countries in the Global North and the Global South. The secondary objective was to describe perceptions regarding pharmacy internships in these two regions.

Descriptive study. The study focused on the activities of the Groupe d'intérêt francophone de pharmacie clinique (GIF clinique) from September 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. It targeted the ten member countries of the GIF clinique (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, and Benin). This was a convenience sample. GIF members answered questions representing their geographic environment for their countries. Data were collected using a 23-item questionnaire covering demographic variables and perceptions of clinical pharmacy internship programs according to eight variables measured on a four-point Likert scale.

Nine of the ten GIF clinique members provided usable data. The number of pharmacists was heterogeneous, with a much higher average in Northern countries (3.86±3.50) than in Southern countries (0.96±0.19). Among the nine institutions surveyed, only one of the four in the North and four of the five in the South offered internships to technical staff. In contrast, all respondents offered internships to pharmacy students (9/9) and a majority to pharmacy residents (7/9). Only three institutions in the North offered internships to international pharmacy students, compared with none in the South. The ratio of the average number of students to the average number of full-time pharmacy staff was 1 in the North versus 14 in the South. Supervision modalities for trainees were broadly similar between hemispheres. However, the supervision of internship sites remained relatively limited in both regions. Respondents recognized the importance of experiential training in pharmacy.

This exploratory study described and compared hospital pharmacy internship opportunities offered as part of undergraduate and postgraduate training between countries in the Global North and South. Among the 23 variables analyzed, several similarities and differences were identified. The study also described perceptions regarding pharmacy internships: respondents strongly valued the importance of experiential training in pharmacy. We recognize that the Francophonie is what connects and unites us, despite economic, political, and cultural differences. May the work of the GIF de pharmacie clinique inspire other pharmacy communities of practice.