Outcomes of a Pharmacy Internship Program at a Quaternary Care Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To design, implement, and evaluate a Hospital-based Pharmacy Internship Program that meets the educational requirements of  pharmacy graduates to register as competent pharmacists in the United Arab  Emirates.

METHOD

The Pharmacy Internship Program was designed as a 6-month, full- time, competency-based program. Intern performance was assessed through  monthly continuous evaluations. Interns who successfully completed the  program were eligible to take the Department of Health Licensing Examination. Pharmacy intern surveys were collected to assess their overall satisfaction with the program.

RESULTS

Over the previous 5 years, the program has trained 53 interns. All  interns completed the 6-month training program. Of the 53 graduates, 45  completed the post-internship survey. Interns reported a high level of satisfaction with the program structure and content.

CONCLUSIONS

The Pharmacy Internship Program structure was successful in its first 5 years of implementation and was both feasible and sustainable. The  program was viewed as highly beneficial for the professional and personal  growth of pharmacy interns and provided them with the necessary competencies and skills to successfully enter the workforce.