The development of competency frameworks serves as the foundation for the development of competency-based education. It is vital to develop a country-specific framework to address the specific needs of the local population for pharmacy services. This study aimed to describe the development process of a competency framework for undergraduate pharmacy education in Kuwait with a unique matrix structure. The process started with the development of guiding principles for curriculum revision and implementation, as well as the identification of global educational outcomes. This process was followed by: (A) a needs assessment with key stakeholders; (B) development of the initial competency framework; and (C) refinement of the framework. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed to identify the main competency domains that students need to perform the identified entrustable professional activities (EPAs). Five population needs were identified by the needs assessment, with 17 EPAs suggested to fulfill those needs. In addition, 11 competency domains were identified. The initial competency framework was created as a 3 × 8 matrix, with 3 professional and 8 transversal competency domains. Refinement of the framework resulted in the removal of redundancies and the development of a global behavior competency profile. The development of a matrix competency framework and associated EPAs for Kuwait serves as a foundation for preparing pharmacists to fulfill local population needs and expanding the scope of practice in the country.

Objectives: Our primary objectives were to evaluate the integration and impact of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) within a competency-based add-on PharmD curriculum and to describe the types and frequency of EPAs performed by PharmD trainees as an assessment tool during their placements at secondary and tertiary care practice sites. A secondary objective was to report, categorize, and quantify patients’ drug therapy problems (DTPs) with the rate of recommendations’ acceptance by preceptors. Methods: A descriptive study for 2437 EPAs (concerning 1295 patients) was performed by 56 PharmD trainees during their experiential training year from January 2018 to November 2021. Results: The most frequent EPA performed by trainees was Medication Therapy Management (MTM) (718; 29.5%), followed by Medication Reconciliation (MedRec) (636; 26.1%), prescription/order review (546; 22.4%), and medication counseling (284; 11.7%). A total of 1224 DTPs were encountered through MTM, MedRec, and prescription/order reviews, with “drug not indicated” being the most common DTP (16.7%). Anti-infectives (25.1%), cardiovascular (21.8%), endocrine (12.5%), and gastrointestinal (12.1%) agents made up most of the 1612 medicines involved in medication-related DTPs. The majority of interventions were accepted by preceptors (91%). The rejection rate was 3.6%, owing primarily to medical expertise, clinical judgment, and the personal opinion of preceptors. Patients’ age (older adults), gender (females), and admission type (newly admitted patients) were associated with a higher risk of experiencing DTPs. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that incorporating EPA-based practice and assessment into pharmacy training can ensure graduates are not only knowledgeable but also trusted to perform essential tasks independently, ultimately optimizing the safety and quality of patient care.

Background: Kuwait is considered one of the top countries in the prevalence of obesity. There are no studies of the perioperative and postoperative analgesia use in Kuwait. Objectives: To review and assess the use of analgesics in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), including the choice, dosage regimen, and duration in perioperative and postoperative periods. Methods: A retrospective pre and post educational intervention study was conducted. Inclusion criteria were primary MBS and age ≥ 18. An educational seminar in line with the best practices of analgesics use was developed and delivered by a PharmD trainee under the supervision of a surgeon and a faculty preceptor to staff from surgical, anesthesia and nursing departments. Results: Data of a total of 25 patients in the pre-educational intervention period, and 25 patients in the post-intervention period were analyzed. About 92% of all patients received multimodal intraoperative analgesia, comprising paracetamol with either NSAID or opioid, or both. There was no difference between the number of patients who received a multimodal analgesic approach in both study periods. Pain assessment was conducted in 32% (n= 8) of the patients in post-intervention period. Conclusion: Implementing an educational lecture did not significantly influence the choice of medication, which indicates the good prescribing practice in the study location. Yet, the intervention resulted in the use of pain assessment tool that shall positively reflect the real need for opioid use. The study also highlights the role played by pharmacists and PharmD trainees in achieving best patient-centered care.