DOI: https://njcpt.com.ng/101.1.2.31
Abstract
Background: The current minimum requirement to practice pharmacy in Nigeria is a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. With the approval of the Pharm.D programme by the National University Commission (NUC) in Nigeria, Pharm.D may soon become the minimum qualification to practice. Those with B.Pharm. may be required to convert their B.Pharm to Pharm.D just like it was done in the United States where those that graduated with B.S.Pharm. had to convert their B.S.Pharm. to Pharm.D. for them to be able to practice as pharmacists. This study's main objective was to assess Hospital Pharmacists' willingness in Osun State to undergo Pharm.D conversion program.
Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 87 hospital pharmacists in Osun State using a convenience sampling technique. The retrieved questionnaires were coded and entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21, which was used to analyse the data. Both descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Fisher's Exact Test) were carried out on the data.
Results: Out of the 87 respondents, 87.4% indicated their willingness to undergo the Pharm.D conversion program. The majority (78.2%) of the respondents would undertake the program to improve their knowledge of clinical pharmacy and 75.9% would undergo to serve their patients better. Also, 57.0% of the respondents prefer a 12-month duration of the PharmD Conversion Program.
Conclusion: Most hospital pharmacists in Osun State were willing to undergo a Pharm.D. conversion program. They would likely be motivated by the perceived improvement in clinical pharmacy practice, which such a program will confer. A short and flexible conversion program will also encourage participation.
Keywords: Hospital Pharmacy, Attitude, Perception, Conversion, Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D), Clinical Pharmacy.