Last week in Kharkiv, the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the National University of Pharmacy held a round table "Pharmaceutical education and employment: training a competitive specialist for the healthcare system".
The meeting took place within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation and was dedicated to practical issues of training specialists in line with the modern needs of the pharmaceutical sector and the regulatory system.
The discussion was attended by the Director of the SEC, Edem Adamanov, Deputy Director Mykhailo Pasichnyk, Rector of the NFU, Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Oleksandr Kukhtenko, representatives of the professional and academic community, employers and students.
The main topic was the alignment of the training of future specialists with the real needs of the modern pharmaceutical sector. They discussed which competencies employers expect today, how to strengthen the practical component of education and create clear professional and career trajectories for students.
Particular attention was paid to discussing the draft standard of higher education in specialty I8 "Pharmacy" and to taking into account the positions of employers, the student and academic community.
During the Round Table, it was repeatedly noted that the modern pharmaceutical industry needs professionals capable of working not only in traditional fields but also in areas whose importance is constantly growing: clinical trials, state registration of medicinal products, pharmacovigilance, health technology assessment, standardization of medical and pharmaceutical care, digital transformation of healthcare, and others.
At the same time, the requirements for a specialist's competencies are also changing. Along with solid professional knowledge, analytical and critical thinking, the ability to work with scientific, clinical and regulatory data, knowledge of European legislation and international standards, proficiency in English, professional integrity and readiness for continuous learning are becoming increasingly important.
The Center already feels this need today. Currently, more than 30 vacancies are open at the Center. At the same time, finding a ready-made expert in highly specialized areas is not easy. Therefore, the Center relies not only on attracting experienced professionals but also on building its own talent pool.
That is why the Center is deliberately strengthening cooperation with higher education institutions and is ready to contribute to the development of the necessary competencies already at the stage of student education
Such cooperation will make it possible to combine fundamental university education with the real needs of professional practice. For the university, this is an opportunity to better understand employers' demands and take them into account in the development of educational programs.
"Our common task is to shape a new generation of specialists who will combine deep professional knowledge, modern competencies and a readiness to work in conditions of rapid change. It is they who will determine the future of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare system. The State Expert Center is ready to be a reliable partner of universities on this path," noted Edem Adamanov, Director of the State Expert Center.
