A Comprehensive Job Analysis of Community Pharmacy Preceptors in South Korea: Roles, Responsibilities, and Competency Gaps

Background: Community pharmacy experiential education in South Korea, introduced in 2014, faces challenges in standardization due to the independent nature of pharmacies.Preceptors play a vital role, yet their responsibilities remain undefined.This study analyzes preceptors' job functions, focusing on competencies and comparing perceptions between preceptors and students.Methods: Using the Developing Curriculum (DACUM) method, a task inventory questionnaire assessed the frequency, importance, and difficulty of preceptor responsibilities.The survey targeted preceptors affiliated with South Korean pharmacy schools and accredited pharmacies.Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analyses.Results: Responses from 103 preceptors and 105 students identified professionalism (43.613.6),interpersonal skills (36.214.4),and communication skills (35.815.0)as core competencies.Students rated tasks such as providing feedback and mentoring as more important than preceptors did.Female preceptors scored higher in clinical knowledge and communication.Preceptor experience influenced perceptions of task difficulty, with early-stage preceptors reporting challenges in professionalism and communication.Conclusions: This study highlights the multifaceted roles of community pharmacy preceptors, emphasizing professionalism, communication, and feedback.Tailored training programs are needed to address identified gaps.Future research should include diverse samples and objective performance measures to further refine preceptor development strategies.