International exposure to pharmacy leadership, education and practice: The early Qatar experience

Abstract

Introduction: The College of Pharmacy (CPH) at Qatar University (QU) offers international experiences for Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students from North America. The objective of these rotations is to provide students with exposure to pharmacy practice and education in a progressive Arab country. Design: Each internship consisted of 5 core components: i) Qatar national priorities, strategic planning, and educational system; ii) academic leadership; iii) student instruction; iv) project, and; v) pharmacy practice. Evaluation: Since 2010, eleven students from three universities have successfully completed elective experiences. Students consistently rated rotations highly in terms of organisation, unique experiences, and exposure to faculty with diverse backgrounds. Additional benefits to the host and parent colleges included student exchange, programme development, research collaboration and recruitment. Future Plans: International experiences have been well received and will continue to be offered in order to broaden student perspective of pharmacy education and practice in the Middle East.