Bachelor of pharmacy graduates' perceptions of the pharmacy administration curriculum in Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction: As the profession of pharmacy has evolved, pharmacy education has developed to include competencies and skills related to pharmacy administration services. Competencies taught in pharmacy administration courses are expected to provide graduates with skills to effectively undertake administrative functions. Our study aimed to assess perceptions about knowledge and skills gained by the pharmacists during the Pharmacy Administration course at the School of Pharmacy, the University of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad and Tobago. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among pharmacists working in hospitals and community pharmacies in Trinidad using non-probability convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 262 pharmacists who completed the Pharmacy Administration course. Two-hundred eighteen (83%) usable responses were included for analysis. Results: Many (45.4%) respondents agreed that the course provided them with the knowledge of running a business, 78% said they were able to apply the skills in their practice, and 80% mentioned that the course should be mandatory. Pharmacists found that the course on business management enhanced their knowledge in the fields of managing human resources, conflict management, marketing, project management, corporate turnaround, inventory, and financial management. Conclusions: The Pharmacy Administration course in the bachelor of science degree in pharmacy programme at the School of Pharmacy, UWI remains relevant in the areas of marketing, human resource management, and inventory management. The programme can be extended to a full time masters course to interested pharmacy graduates.