Transforming pharmacy education and practice in the Gulf Region: challenges, progress, and future vision

Pharmacy education, training, and practice across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has undergone significant transformation in recent decades, shaped by evolving healthcare priorities, national development agendas, and increasing demands for a skilled pharmacy workforce. This commentary provides an in-depth overview of pharmacy education pathways, postgraduate training opportunities, workforce trends, and practice models across GCC countries, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. While undergraduate pharmacy education has rapidly expanded, with many institutions transitioning to entry-to-practice Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs, the region continues to face challenges in developing practice-ready pharmacists capable of managing the complexities of an ever-evolving healthcare system. Postgraduate training options, including residencies, fellowships, and research-based degrees, remain unevenly distributed. Clinical pharmacy practice in hospitals is well-established, whereas community pharmacy services are still limited in scope, often restricted to dispensing and minor ailment management. Research engagement is increasing, particularly in academic and hospital settings, but remains constrained by administrative barriers and the absence of a clear career pathway in pharmacy research.