The development of degree-oriented and vocational education in clinical pharmacy in China

Clinical pharmacy education originated in the United States during the 1950s and was introduced to China in the 1960s. In China, clinical pharmacy education encompasses degree-oriented and vocational education. The purpose of this study is to offer insights and references that may guide the future development of China's clinical pharmacy education. To acquire targeted and authoritative information, the study conducted a systematic literature and data retrieval process. This study searched academic databases, reviewed monographs on the history of pharmaceutical education, examined university archives, analyzed media reports, and browsed the official websites of educational institutions and healthcare facilities. Then this study classified, counted and analyzed the collected information according to the literature analysis method. Following a chronological framework, the study integrated the key policies and regulations, influential figures, and significant historical events that had shaped the development of degree-oriented and vocational education in China's clinical pharmacy. Findings reveal that China's degree-oriented education has evolved from a marginalized field to a multi-tiered and diversified training system. Likewise, vocational education has progressed from a fragmented and disorganized state into a more structured and standardized system. Nevertheless, significant challenges persist. Currently, universities and healthcare institutions often operate independently in the training of clinical pharmacists, lacking a unified and standardized educational model comparable to the Pharm. D. system in the US or the medical education system in China. There remains the absence of cohesive assessment standards and coordinated mechanisms across the country.