Pharmacy education in Myanmar: The past, present, and future
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This review article aimed to describe an overview of pharmacy education, including the challenges and barriers to pharmacy education in Myanmar. Pharmacy education in Myanmar is a content-based education system. The curriculum’s courses in undergraduate professional subjects are related only to pharmaceutical sciences; those related to clinical, social and administrative sciences are not covered. Clinical pharmacy is implemented in postgraduate programs; however, it is not sufficiently developed. Moreover, the subject of social and administrative pharmacy has not yet been implemented in Myanmar. Updating the curriculum and establishing a pharmacy council were identified as key challenges because the current curriculum does not align with modern pharmacy practices, and the absence of a regulatory pharmacy council limits the standardization, governance, and advancement of pharmacy education, particularly in specialized areas within pharmacy schools. The rapid and ongoing change in pharmacy worldwide forces pharmacy education in Myanmar to adapt to patient and public safety and efficiency in drug utilization. It is concluded that a four-year pharmacy program should be revised to address the challenges and barriers worldwide.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. (2015). Accreditation standards and key elements for the professional program in pharmacy leading to the doctor of pharmacy degree (Standards 2016). https://www.acpe-accredit.org/wp-content/uploads/Standards2016FINAL.pdf
Al-Ghananeem, A. M., Malcom, D. R., Shammas, S., & Aburjai, T. (2018). A call to action to transform pharmacy education and practice in the Arab world. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 82(9), Article 7014. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe7014
Alsharif, N. Z. (2017). Purposeful global engagement in pharmacy education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81(10), Article 6882. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe6882
Anderson, C., Bates, I., Beck, D., Brock, T., Futter, B., Mercer, H., Rouse, M., Wuliji, T., & Yonemura, A. (2008). The WHO UNESCO FIP pharmacy education taskforce: Enabling concerted and collective global action. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(6), Article 127. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7206127
Anderson, C., Bates, I., Brock, T., Brown, A. N., Bruno, A., Futter, B., Rennie, T., & Rouse, M. J. (2012). Needs-based education in the context of globalization. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 76(4), Article 56. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe76456
Anderson, C., Bates, I., Futter, B., Gal, D., Rouse, M., & Whitmarsh, S. (2010). Global perspectives of pharmacy education and practice. World Medical & Health Policy, 2(1), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.2202/1948-4682.1052
Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada. (2017). AFPC educational outcomes for first professional degree programs in pharmacy pharmacy in Canada 2017. https://www.afpc.info/system/files/public/AFPC-Educational%20Outcomes%202017_final%20Jun2017.pdf
Austin, Z., & Ensom, M. H. (2008). Education of pharmacists in Canada. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(6), Article 128. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7206128
Aye, L. N., & Anantachoti, P. (2020). Pharmacy workforce in Myanmar public sector. The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 44(4), 267–273. https://doi.org/10.56808/3027-7922.2464
Basak, S. C., & Sathyanarayana, D. (2010). Pharmacy education in India. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(4), Article 68.
Bates, I., Bruno, A., & Arakawa, N. (2013). FIPEd global education report. International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). https://www.fip.org/files/fip/FIPEd_Global_Education_Report_2013.pdf
Boyle, C. J. (2020). We are educating pharmacists, not “PharmDs”. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 84(9), Article 7829. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe7829
Bruno, A., Bates, I., Brock, T., & Anderson, C. (2010). Towards a global competency framework. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(3), Article 56. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj740356
Chanakit, T., Low, B. Y., Wongpoowarak, P., Moolasarn, S., & Anderson, C. (2014). A survey of pharmacy education in Thailand. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 78(9), Article 161. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe789161
Chanakit, T., Low, B. Y., Wongpoowarak, P., Moolasarn, S., & Anderson, C. (2015). Does a transition in education equate to a transition in practice? Thai stakeholder’s perceptions of the introduction of the doctor of pharmacy programme. BMC Medical Education, 15(1), Article 205. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-015-0473-4
Cokro, F., Atmanda, P. F. K., Sagala, R. J., Arrang, S. T., Notario, D., Rukmini, E., & Aparasu, R. (2021). Pharmacy education in Indonesia. Pharmacy Education, 21(1), 432–442. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2021.211.432442
Etukakpan, A., Uzman, N., Ozer, O., Tofade, T., Leite, S. N., Joda, A., Choonara, Y., Mwila, C., Azzopardi, L. M., & Mantel-Teeuwisse, A. K. (2023). Transforming pharmaceutical education: A needs-based global analysis for policy development. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 9, Article 100234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100234
Gall, D., Bates, I., & Bruno, A. (2012). FIP global pharmacy workforce report 2012. International Pharmaceutical Federation. https://www.fip.org/files/members/library/FIP_workforce_Report_2012.pdf
General Pharmaceutical Council. (2011). Future pharmacists: Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists. https://assets.pharmacyregulation.org/files/document/future_pharmacists_standards_for_the_initial_education_and_training_of_pharmacists.pdf
Health in Myanmar. (2011). Myanmar healthcare system. https://www.mohs.gov.mm/Main/content/publication/health-in-myanmar-2011
Islam, M. A., Gunaseelan, S., Khan, S. A., Khatun, F., & Talukder, R. (2014). Current challenges in pharmacy education in Bangladesh: A roadmap for the future. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 6(5), 730–735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2014.05.020
Kapol, N., Maitreemit, P., Pongcharoensuk, P., & Armstrong, E. P. (2008). Evaluation of curricula content based on Thai pharmacy competency standards. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(1), Article 09. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj720109
Katoue, M. G., & Schwinghammer, T. L. (2020). Competency‐based education in pharmacy: A review of its development, applications, and challenges. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 26(4), 1114–1123. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13362
Kawaguchi-Suzuki, M., Hogue, M. D., Khanfar, N. M., Lahoz, M. R., Law, M. G., Parekh, J., Zairina, E., Hong, J., Robles, Y. R., & Van Thang, V. (2019a). Cultural sensitivity and global pharmacy engagement in Asia: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(4), Article 7215. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe7215
Kawaguchi-Suzuki, M., Law, M. G., Prisco, J., Head, K., Fu, L., Yumoto, T., Kamei, J., Yang, M., Cheng, K.-j., & Hogue, M. D. (2019b). Cultural sensitivity and global pharmacy engagement in Asia: China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(4), Article 7214. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe7214
Latt, N. N., Cho, S. M., Htun, N. M. M., Saw, Y. M., Myint, M. N. H. A., Aoki, F., Reyer, J. A., Yamamoto, E., Yoshida, Y., & Hamajima, N. (2016). Healthcare in Myanmar. Nagoya Journal of Medical Science, 78(2), 123–124.
Mahidol University. (2022). 2022 US-Thai pharmacy consortium virtual meeting. https://mahidol.ac.th/th/2022/2022-us-thai-pharmacy/
Maitreemit, P., Pongcharoensuk, P., Kapol, N., & Armstrong, E. P. (2008). Pharmacist perceptions of new competency standards. Pharmacy Practice, 6(3), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.4321/s1886-36552008000300001
Marriott, J. L., Nation, R. L., Roller, L., Costelloe, M., Galbraith, K., Stewart, P., & Charman, W. N. (2008). Pharmacy education in the context of Australian practice. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(6), Article 131. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7206131
Medina, M. S., Plaza, C. M., Stowe, C. D., Robinson, E. T., DeLander, G., Beck, D. E., Melchert, R. B., Supernaw, R. B., Roche, V. F., & Gleason, B. L. (2013). Center for the advancement of pharmacy education 2013 educational outcomes. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 77(8), Article 162. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe778162
Ministry of Health, Myanmar. (2023). Attending and giving speeches at welcoming ceremonies for those who will serve as intern doctors for one year from July 2023 in major teaching hospitals. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/MinistryOfHealthMyanmar?mibextid=ZbWKwL [in Myanmar]
Ministry of Health, Myanmar. (2024a). Departments under MOH. https://www.mohs.gov.mm/
Ministry of Health, Myanmar. (2024b). A meeting to coordinate the course schedule and curriculum for those who passed the university entrance examination under the new education system KG+ 12. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/MinistryOfHealthMyanmar?mibextid=ZbWKwL [in Myanmar]
Ministry of Health, Singapore. (2022). Professional training and education for pharmacists. Health Professionals Portal. https://hpp.moh.gov.sg/career-practice/pharmacists-professional-training-education/
Ministry of Health and Sports, Myanmar. (2016). Myanmar national health plan (2017–2021). WHO. https://extranet.who.int/countryplanningcycles/planning-cycle-files/myanmar-myanmar-national-health-plan-2017-2021
Myanmar Pharmaceutical Association. (2020a). Continuing pharmaceutical education (CPE). Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/events/723726214480571/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D [in Myanmar]
Myanmar Pharmaceutical Association. (2020b). Volunteer pharmacists. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/myanmarpharmaceuticalassociationmpa/ [in Myanmar]
Nawanopparatsakul, S., Keokitichai, S., Wiyakarn, S., & Chantaraskul, C. (2009). Challenges of pharmacy education in Thailand. Silpakorn University International Journal, 9–10, 19–39.
Nunes-da-Cunha, I., & Fernandez-Llimos, F. (2017). Educational contents for a patient-centred undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. CIPF.
Olson, P. S., Srimongkon, P., Tan, B. K., Nacabu-an, S. M. J., Sibounheuang, P., Setiawan, C. H., Van Hung, N., Leelathanalerk, A., Potisarach, P., Sungthong, B., Ploylearmsang, C., Seesin, T., Chanasopon, S., Kanjanasilp, J., Manwiwattanakun, G., & Jungnickel, P. W. (2022). Pharmacy students’ preparation to provide pharmaceutical care for patients with non-communicable diseases in six ASEAN countries: A qualitative study. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 14(11), 1353–1364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2022.09.027
Ozawa, K. (2018). Progress of pharmacy education in Japan-model core curriculum for pharmacy education and the evaluation standards. Journal of Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy, 7, 8–14.
Pharmacy Board Malaysia. (2018). Standards on approval and recognition of pharmacy programme 2018. Ministry of Health Malaysia. https://www.pharmacy.gov.my/v2/sites/default/files/Standards%20on%20Approval%20and%20Recognition%20of%20Pharmacy%20Programme%202018.pdf
Rouse, M., & Meštrovic, A. (2014). Quality assurance of pharmacy education: The FIP global framework (2nd ed.). International Pharmaceutical Federation.
Saw, Y. M., Than, T. M., Thaung, Y., Aung, S., Shiao, L. W.-S., Win, E. M., Khaing, M., Tun, N. A., Iriyama, S., Win, H. H., Sakisaka, K., Jimba, M., Hamajima, N., & Saw, T. N. (2019). Myanmar’s human resources for health: Current situation and its challenges. Heliyon, 5(3), Article e01390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01390
Schwalje, W. (2011). What is the difference between a skills shortage and a skills gap? SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1941313
Sibicky, S. L., Daugherty, K. K., Chen, A. M. H., Rhoney, D., & Nawarskas, J. (2024). Enabling factors for the implementation of competency-based curricula in colleges and schools of pharmacy. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 88(4), Article 100681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpe.2024.100681
Singapore Pharmacy Council. (2018). Standard for undergraduate pharmacy education and training in Singapore. https://file.go.gov.sg/standards-for-pharmacy-undergraduate-education-training.pdf
Society of Myanmar Pharmacists. (2020). Volunteer pharmacists and pharmacy students in COVID-19. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/Society-of-Myanmar-Pharmacists-103933351483152/
Sosabowski, M. H., & Gard, P. R. (2008). Pharmacy education in the United Kingdom. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(6), Article 130. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7206130
Stupans, I., McAllister, S., Clifford, R., Hughes, J., Krass, I., March, G., Owen, S., & Woulfe, J. (2015). Nationwide collaborative development of learning outcomes and exemplar standards for Australian pharmacy programmes. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 23(4), 283–291. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12163
Supapaan, T., Low, B. Y., Wongpoowarak, P., Moolasarn, S., & Anderson, C. (2019). A transition from the BPharm to the PharmD degree in five selected countries. Pharmacy Practice, 17(3), Article 1611. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2019.3.1611
Tan, E. Y., & Faller, E. M. (2022). Pharmacy education in selected countries from the Western Pacific Region: Status quo and moving ahead. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 7(9), 259–268. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7108949
The Global New Light of Myanmar, (2022). Yangon university, Mandalay university and NSA must be top the nation as well as involved on the world’s best universities: Senior General. https://www.gnlm.com.mm
The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. (2018). Model core curriculum for pharmacy education: 2015 version. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan. https://www.pharm.or.jp/eng/pdf/education/ModelCoreCurriculumforPharmacyEducation_FullText.pdf
University of Pharmacy, Mandalay. (2024a). Numbers of pharmacy graduated students. http://www.uopmdy.gov.mm
University of Pharmacy, Mandalay. (2024b). Courses and departments. http://www.uopmdy.gov.mm
University of Pharmacy, Yangon. (2013). Facts and figure. http://www.uopygn.gov.mm
University of Pharmacy, Yangon. (2024a). Numbers of pharmacy graduated students. http://www.uopygn.gov.mm
University of Pharmacy, Yangon. (2024b). Programs and departments. http://www.uopygn.gov.mm
Vo, T.-H., Bedouch, P., Nguyen, T.-H., Nguyen, T.-L.-H., Hoang, T.-K.-H., Calop, J., & Allenet, B. (2013). Pharmacy education in Vietnam. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 77(6), Article 114. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe776114
Widayati, A., Istyastono, E., & Faller, E. (2020). Projected niches emerging in pharmacy education among ASEAN countries. Pharmacy Education, 20(2), 145–148. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2020.202.145148
World Health Organization. (2013). Human resources for health country profiles: Lao People’s Democratic Republic. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789290616368
Worldometer. (2024). Myanmar population. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/myanmar-population/#google_vignette
