AACP's Pharm.D. approach: rational, fair

Drug Store News, August 17, 1992 by Bruce Buckley

There are some key points to be made on the recent position taken by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy on the mandatory six-year Pharm. D. degree. The issue, of course, is crucial to community pharmacy, both chains and independents, who employ the bulk of the nation's pharmacists.

First, even though the AACP came out in favor of a single entry-level doctoral degree for pharmacists, the association recommended that no deadline be set for implementing the new requirement.

The pharmacy educators recognized, quite rightly, that the deadline set by the ACPE for implementing a mandatory six-year Pharm. D. - the year 2000-would place too great a burden on the nation's 75 pharmacy schools as well as on the profession in general. ACPE would do well to go along with their recommendation.

Second, AACP wants the Pharm. D. implementation planning process to be developed with the full participation of all stakeholders in pharmaceutical education (emphasis added).

What's more, the association supports "a rational, carefully thought-out approach of refining pharmacy education to produce graduates adequately prepared to provide pharmaceutical care in a variety of practice areas. "

AACP's urging that "all stakeholders" be involved in the planning process and that pharmacy education be refined to prepare for a variety of practice settings is a clear recognition that pharmacy is a diverse profession, with many competing needs, not the least of which are those of retail practice.

So, although the AACP's position may not be completely acceptable to all, it is at least a rational approach to the planning process which takes into account the interests of all segments of the pharmacy profession. And that is a big plus.

The economy has been sluggish and so have retail sales, but are drug retailers ready for new political direction?

I'd like to know, and I don't think it's too early to begin polling readers on their choices in this presidential election year. To that end, I'm launching a Bush/Clinton straw poll.