What is Clinical Pharmacy?
In contemporary clinical practice an innovative direction – clinical pharmacy has taken its advantage. According to WHO, clinical pharmacists are employed in hospitals and clinical centers providing patient care. Clinical pharmacy requires a deep knowledge of therapy issues, disease peculiarities and pharmaceutics. Moreover, clinical pharmacy involves: communication skills, the ability to regulate the medicine circulation, the ability to analyze medical information and outcomes of laboratory studies. Clinical pharmacists are active members of the medical team, participating in daily visits and directing patients’ attitude to the treatment.
Clinical Pharmacy as a professional discipline was developed in the 80s. The clinical pharmacists’ activities are not limited by working in pharmacies. They assist doctors in the rational selection of medicine taking into account diverse factors: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, interactions with other drugs, etc. They are required to obtain systematic knowledge in the field of medicine, pharmacology, clinical pharmacology, clinical pharmacy.
At clinics, clinical pharmacists are given the opportunity to perform their knowledge in various tasks. They are promoted to participate in the development of drug policy, cooperate with professionals in order to elaborate recommendations and guidelines, take part in medical products’ distribution and purchase, create pharmaceutical formulations, etc.
TSMU is the only university in Georgia having designed Master’s Program in Clinical Pharmacy
Tbilisi State Medical University has been educating specialists in the field of clinical pharmacy since 2018. TSMU is the only university in Georgia having designed a master's program in clinical pharmacy. The goal of the TSMU master’s program is to prepare a professional who is involved in patient care activities. The activities cover implementation of pharmacotherapy in compliance with doctors’ decisions, selection of effective and safe medicine taking into account the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics factors of the drug.
Where do clinical pharmacists continue their professional development after graduation from the TSMU master’s program?
TSMU master’s program graduates are employed in the structural units of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour Health and Social Affairs of Georgia and involved in diverse scientific research. The field is a relatively new discipline in Georgia and employing clinical pharmacists is a rapidly increasing phenomena. One of the largest medical corporations has already announced vacancies for the clinical pharmacists. The corporation has already established 78 clinics in Georgia. It was the first giant medical organization adopting the international standard of clinical practice and employing clinical pharmacists.
The clinical pharmacists’ involvement in medical institutions is an internationally recognized standard
The clinical pharmacists’ involvement in medical institutions is an internationally recognized standard required by the European Union Association Agreement. Therefore, the field development is crucially important in Georgia. According to international standards, a clinical pharmacist’s participation in clinical research is also required.
Professor Tamaz Chumburidze, Head of the master’s program “Clinical Pharmacy” noted, “In order to meet the EU requirements 3-4 clinical pharmacists are obligatory at large clinics. There is an increasing demand on clinical pharmacists, as a consequence applicants having desire to study on the program are also increasing.
Tbilisi State Medical University is the only higher education institution in Georgia having developed the program in clinical pharmacy. We have accumulated a huge experience and consequently we are able to meet the EU requirements. 36 graduates have already obtained master’s degrees in Clinical Pharmacy. TSMU is the leader in distributing contemporary educational programs”.