J Educ Eval Health Prof.  2017;14:18. 10.3352/jeehp.2017.14.18.

A new experimental community pharmacy internship module for undergraduate pharmacy students in western Nepal: overview and reflections

• Timsina S
• K C B
• Adhikari D
• Alrasheedy AA
• Mohamed Ibrahim MI
• Kaundinnyayana A

• KMID: 2406681
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2017.14.18

Abstract

Community pharmacies in Nepal and other South Asian countries are in a mediocre state due to poor regulation and the fact that many pharmacies are run by people with insufficient training in dispensing. This has led to the inappropriate use of medicines. The problems due to poor regulation and the mediocre state of community pharmacies in South Asia encompass both academia and clinical practice. In this paper, a 2-week community pharmacy internship programme completed by 2 graduating pharmacy students of Pokhara University (a Nepalese public university) at Sankalpa Pharmacy, Pokhara, Nepal is illustrated. During the internship, they were systematically trained on store management, pharmaceutical care, counselling skills, the use of medical devices, pharmaceutical business plans, medicine information sources, and adverse drug reaction reporting. An orientation, observations and hands-on training, case presentation, discussion, and feedback from 2 senior pharmacists were used as the training method. A proper community pharmacy internship format, good pharmacy practice standards, and a better work environment for pharmacists may improve the quality of community pharmacies.

Keyword

Community pharmacies; Internship; Pharmacy education; Nepal

MeSH Terms

Asia
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Commerce
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
Education, Pharmacy
Humans
Internship and Residency*
Methods
Nepal*
Pharmaceutical Services
Pharmacies*
Pharmacists
Pharmacy*
Students, Pharmacy*

Reference

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