Hospital Affairs

The vice deanship for Hospitals Affairs represents the liaison between the college administration and students on one hand and the field training placement on the other. It is responsible for implementing, executing and supervising the tasks and processes governing the field experience. Two training units are running under the direct supervision of the vice deanship, namely:
• Summer Training Unit, responsible for supervising the field training during the summer semesters for both B, Pharm. and Pharm. D. program.
• Clerkship (Internship) Unit, supervising the field training during the internship year of the Pharm. D. program.

 

Field training:

Field training is one of the most important activities practiced by the student. It is the actual application of the knowledge, skills and competencies he acquired academic life. It also represents a challenge for his ability to employ these competencies in dealing with various situations in the real life settings. Passing this experience is mandatory for passage to the realm of his profession.
In the College of pharmacy, field training falls into two main sections:
1. Professional/Pharmacy Practice Experience (PPE), being an integral part of the College of Pharmacy education program, has been given emphasis to improve its implementation in the present curriculum.
It involves training in potential future employment placements such as community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and production plants as well as pharmaceutical regulatory bodies like FDA. This experience applies for students of both B. Pharm and Pharm. D programs and is spread over two training blocks, each of eight weeks (320 hours) during the summer semester in the following sequence:
• Community Pharmacy Practice Experience (CPPE, PH1800100-0), taking place in primary care/community pharmacies after Level six (third year)
• Institutional/Hospital Practice Experience (IPPE, PH1800200-0) taking place in Institutional/Hospital pharmacies after Level eight (fourth year).
It is a mandatory course to be met, with a "pass/fail" assessment.
2. Internship program involving training in clinical wards in hospitals for a full academic year, which applies only for sixth year students of the Pharm. D. program.
Training extends over two semesters each includes six rotations, each equivalent to 3 credit hours for a total of 18 credit hours per semester.
Success and failure depends both on external evaluation by the preceptor in the training institution and internal evaluation by the college supervisor, a faculty member in the clinical pharmacy department. At least a 60% of total marks is mandatory for passing this field activity.
Training in pharmaceutical companies and production plants is so far left elective. When requested, it takes part of the PPE and its duration depends on the company market share and the production plant size and facilities.

 

Tasks of the vice deanship:

1. Implementing training and service exchange agreements with medical and pharmaceutical institutions
2. Implementing and enforcing training plans and programs in various training placements
3. Issuing and documenting all the official paperwork necessary for the field experience.
4. Preparing training manuals, log books and evaluation forms
5. Issuing honorary material such as certificates of appreciation, appreciation shields, medals ...etc
6. Supervising the students training process during the summer training through the "Summer Training Unit (STU)" and the internship via the "Clerckship Unit".
7. Distributing and forwarding the college faculty members to different hospitals to achieve the community service task of the college mission.
8. Coordination and arrangement for the "Training Day" to receive officials and training coordinators in training placements in order to honor them and to discuss various training related issues.

 

Recent activities of the vice deanship:

In December 2015, a students' training agreement was established with the largest national community pharmacy series (over 1000 terminal), the Nahdi Medical Company (NMC). According to the agreement articles:
• Every male student has a training seat in one of the Nahdi Pharmacies, distributed all over the Kingdome governorates. A high quality community CPPE is expected to be offered and gained to fill this integral part of the field experience in both B. Pharm. and Pharm. D. programs.
• Experienced peoples from the NMC contribute to the college programs development as integral part of the college advisory board.
In January 2016, an agreement of exchange of services and expertise was established with the Security Force Hospital (SFH) in Makkah region. According to this agreement:
• Students of both programs have the opportunity to achieve their IPPE in the hospital pharmaceutical care department.
• Pharm. D. interns have the chance to spend certain clinical rotations in the clinical wards of the hospital under coordinated supervision from both the college and the hospital.
• The college staff members actively contribute to the continuous medical education programs offered to the medical staff in the hospital through lectures, workshops, forums .......etc.
• Selected pharmaceutical and medical staff from the hospital participates in teaching of certain courses, particularly the clinically relevant subjects.
• Mutual support and coordination in research programs concerning material, funds, symposia and conferences
In February 2016, a unified agreement of exchange of services and expertise with all the hospitals of the Ministry of Health Sector was elaborated and revised. The agreement is now in the final approval stages by stakeholders from both sides, the UQU and the MOH.