Situational analysis of pharmaceutical education in Ukraine

Background: Nowadays pharmaceutical education in Ukraine is actively modernizing in the light of globalization processes, including the Bologna Process and conversion to lifelong learning. Objective: Impartial and versatile assessment of the current state of pharmaceutical education in Ukraine. Methods: Information retrieval, content analysis, SWOT (an abbreviation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, expert appraisement, and statistical data analysis. Results: The lists of four categories of factors (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) related to pharmaceutical education in Ukraine were created. Based on these lists, a questionnaire for expert appraisal of the expected influence of every element was worked out. The study was conducted by surveying 192 participants tutors from six universities that train pharmacists. According to the expert estimations in each group of factors, a ranking based on the influence of factors on the status of pharmaceutical education was conducted. Conclusions: The results of the study demonstrate the current status of pharmaceutical education in Ukraine. Expert evaluation data can be used for elaborating the strategies for reformation of the Ukrainian system of pharmaceutical education in response to the existing strengths and weaknesses, as well as the most significant opportunities and threats. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.