Pharmacy competencies for interprofessional integrative health care education
Abstract
Objective. To address the gap in evidence-based knowledge among pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists regarding complementary and integrative health approaches due to insufficient education and a lack of standardized training. Methods. The National Center for Integrative Primary Healthcare (NCIPH) developed 22 pharmacy competencies linked to a set of 10 interprofessional “metacompetencies” in integrative health care. Results. The NCIPH pharmacy competencies are well-aligned with the current educational standards and Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) outcomes for pharmacy programs. Therefore, the NCIPH competencies may provide a foundation for the incorporation of interprofes-sional integrative health care education into pharmacy curricula. Conclusion. The NCIPH pharmacy competencies in integrative health care, linked to the interprofes-sional “metacompetencies,” are aligned with educational standards and outcomes, and may serve as a basis for pharmacy curriculum.