A comparative analysis of pharmacy education in the Philippines using the FIP global competency framework

Abstract

Background: Pharmacy education leaders and institutions are responsible for supporting agility in pharmacy curricula design and delivery that embraces evolution in pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences. Such agility relies on the ability to identify educational needs that support skills, competencies, attitudes and behaviours of graduates that are relevant to emerging and futuristic needs of the profession and society. Within the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Academic Institutional Membership (AIM) Advisory Committee, the AIM area of concentration Working Group (2025) was tasked with identifying the diverse approaches adopted by schools of pharmacy across the world that promote relevant pharmaceutical education for practice and science. Methods: Following a call for volunteers from leadership teams of FIP-AIM pharmacy schools, a Working Group consisting of 21 academic leaders from 14 different countries across the six WHO regions was established. The Working Group met monthly to identify key priorities which support actions that improve relevance in pharmacy education. The priorities were classified into three domains. For each domain, priorities were characterised into sub-themes, reflections and case-examples were drawn up. Results: The three domains are: curriculum evolution and delivery; future-ready competencies; and curriculum strategies. For curriculum evolution and delivery, subthemes identified were curriculum alignment and integration of clinical, scientific and industrial components and experiential learning and simulation. Future-ready competencies covers digital health and artificial intelligence, interprofessional collaboration, and leadership and innovation. For curriculum strategies, sub-themes are practice-ready graduates and integration of clinical learning and practice. Conclusions: Findings were compiled in a handbook1 published by FIP-AIM, which is intended to serve as a resource to support agility in pharmacy education by spearheading alignment of pharmacy curricula with current and emerging pharmaceutical priorities shaped by local and global needs.