Medication Review Training for Japanese Community Pharmacists Using the Ask–Assess–Advise Framework: A Post-Workshop Cross-Sectional Survey of Self-Assessed Competencies

Background: Medication review (MR) requires pharmacists to identify medication-related problems (MRPs)/drug-related problems (DRPs), assess their clinical significance, and implement appropriate interventions. However, structured MR training for community pharmacists in Japan remains limited. Objective: To describe Japanese community pharmacists’ self-assessed competencies in MR immediately after participating in a structured workshop based on the Australian ASK–ASSESS–ADVISE framework. Methods: A post-workshop cross-sectional survey was conducted among community pharmacists who attended a one-and-a-half-day MR workshop at four locations in Japan. Participants completed a 31-item self-assessment questionnaire covering four domains (knowledge of MRPs/DRPs and ASK, ASSESS, and ADVISE processes), using a five-point Likert-type scale. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses, and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: A total of 124 pharmacists participated in the survey (response rate: 91.9%). Self-assessed competencies varied across the four domains and individual items. Descriptively, the proportions of participants who rated themselves as confident in performing the tasks (responses of four or five) were lower in Domain 3 (ASSESS process) than in the other domains, particularly for Items 6–10, for which the proportions ranged from 53.2% to 58.9%. These items involved prioritizing MRPs/DRPs, justifying intervention decisions, developing and evaluating intervention plans, and developing monitoring plans. Conclusion: This study describes community pharmacists’ self-assessed MR competencies immediately after a structured workshop. The findings indicate variation in perceived competencies across MR tasks, with particular attention warranted for clinical assessment, intervention planning, and monitoring within the ASSESS process. These findings may help identify priorities for future MR education and objective competency assessment among Japanese community pharmacists.