Defining competency frameworks for undergraduate and graduate pharmacology education in Canada

Pharmacology education in Canada spans multiple institutions and programs and is increasingly integrated with other disciplines. While this diversity is a strength, the absence of a national consensus on the core competencies required for graduation raises concerns about consistency across programs, accreditation, and potential gaps in knowledge and skills. To address these gaps, the Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CSPT) launched an initiative to establish national competency frameworks for undergraduate and graduate pre-professional pharmacology programs. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, an initial list of knowledge, skill, and attitude statements was developed through a literature review and iterative input from CSPT Education Committee members and participants in the 2024 CSPT Meeting Education Workshop. Semi-structured focus groups and interviews were then conducted with pharmacology professionals from the academic, public, and private sectors to explore their views on the core competencies for pharmacology graduates and to gather feedback on the initial list. Inductive content analysis revealed strong cross-sector agreement that the principles of drug action and therapeutic response are essential for pharmacology graduates. Academic sector participants emphasized pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as core knowledge at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Private sector participants prioritized laboratory and regulatory competencies, and public sector participants emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration. A modified Delphi questionnaire with national panellists produced lists of 27 and 55 statements for the undergraduate and graduate levels, respectively. Consensus statements were then restructured into competencies, incorporating the level of knowledge or skill acquisition rated by panellists for each academic level. This yielded an undergraduate framework of 12 key and 32 enabling competencies, and a graduate framework of 17 key and 58 enabling competencies, representing the first consensus-based, level-specific competency frameworks for pharmacology programs in Canada. These frameworks will guide curriculum design, professional preparation, and pharmacology training needs.