Social Pharmacy as a Field of Study in Undergraduate Pharmacy Education

Objective: To ascertain and compare the differences, extent and depth of education in Social Pharmacy and reveal international regional variations. To analyze Social Pharmacy education at different pharmaceutical faculties. To examine the range and scope of teaching subjects partially related to the social, behavioral and administrative pharmacy sciences. Methods: A questionnaire survey was developed based on the examination of the study plans of 15 pharmacy schools around the world. A questionnaire was created based on the analysis of the curricula and mailed to 371 deans (or heads of Departments of Social Pharmacy) at colleges and schools of pharmacy in Europe, North America and developing countries (Latin America, Asia and Africa). Results: Fifty-one usable surveys were returned to the authors (a 53% response rate). 41% of the respondents reported that their school of pharmacy had a Social Pharmacy Department. In addition, 41% of the schools featured Social Pharmacy as a separate subject. This article describes regional differences and different representation of sub-disciplines. Conclusions: Although the most of surveyed schools had Social Pharmacy and related sub-disciplines in their curricula, there were large differences in approach and scope of teaching. Regional trends were discovered connected with the economic, political and social environment of particular regions.