The Implementation of the North American Clinical Training Model in UAE Pharmacy Schools: The Gap Between Standards

This article discusses changes to clinical training in UAE pharmacy schools in response to policy changes by the government that required pharmacy schools to obtain accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in the United States. It shows how pharmacy schools have reformed their curriculum to meet international standards. A critical comparative case study approach was employed using three data resources: government legislations and laws, pharmacy schools’ websites, and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. The main findings were that the ACPE accreditation helped improve the quality of pharmacy programs. However, students, when conducting their clinical training, are mostly observing and not providing direct patient care due to legislation restrictions, and the number of hours for clinical training is still behind. Therefore, the researcher argues that the clinical training model in pharmacy schools still needs development in multiple areas compared to the North American model, despite the pharmacy schools having the ACPE accreditation. Specifically, further support from the state concerning professional legislation and laws is needed to help advance and develop the professional competencies of pharmacists.