Program Evaluation and Stakeholder’s Requirements toward the Characteristics of Graduates from Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Training Program of the College of Pharmacotherapy of Thailand

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the Board Certified Pharmacotherapy training program, survey the stakeholder’s requirements and identify the expected learning outcomes. Methods: The target groups of the study were graduates of the program, their employers, their co-workers, instructors, and the representatives from the Ministry of Public Health and pharmacy professional organization of Thailand. Their opinions on current training program, strength and weakness of graduates and curriculum, desirable characteristics of graduates, and suggestions to improve the quality of teaching and learning processes were asked using online questionnaire and interview. The results from survey were presented in seminar of the Board Certified Pharmacotherapy training program to identify the expected learning outcomes. Results: From the full score of 5, the graduates (n=31) rated their overall average satisfaction toward the program and their own related attributes at 3.77 and 4.19, respectively. The instructors (n=9) were satisfied with the overall program with mean of 4.00. Their employers (n=7) reported their satisfaction toward the attributes of graduates with the mean of 4.61. Strength of the program was the training with hand-on experiences leading to the gains of expertise in pharmaceutical care skills and abilities to establish new pharmaceutical care activities on their own. Weakness of the training program was long study time and no established professional career path of graduates working outside academic area. The areas that could be improved were additional training in subjects related to research and learning assessment The expected learning outcomes included 1) specializing in pharmaceutical care, 2) providing accurate and appropriate drug information, 3) having adequate research skills, 4) being able to work in a team, 5) being morals and ethical, 6) having leadership, 7) having good teaching skills, and 8) being able to identify and resolve drug related problem at the system level. Conclusion: Stakeholders were satisfied with attributes of graduates from the program. The training should maintain hand-on experiences and improved the program to align with the requirements of stakeholders.