Continuing education and community pharmacists in Galicia: a study of opinions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the opinions of a volunteer group of community pharmacists concerning general and specific issues related to continuing education.


METHODS
Participants were required to complete questionnaires before and after attendance at a refresher course, and score the relevant options provided on a scale from 0 to 10. The responses of the survey were analyzed to identify preferences and to detect any possible changes in opinion.


METHODS
Arithmetic means of pharmacists' opinions.


RESULTS
The teaching methods preferred by the community pharmacists were workshops for resolution of practical cases (9 +/- 0.25 and 8.88 +/- 0.13) and the distance-learning computer programmes (6.74 +/- 0.25 and 8.18 +/- 0.20). In selecting which topics that should be taught, the participants gave the highest ratings to healthcare needs (8.75 +/- 0.14 and 8.57 +/- 0.15) and the demands of the pharmacists (8.15 +/- 0.16 and 8.40 +/- 0.16), with pharmaceutical care being the most requested topic (29 points). Participants preferred courses lasting 20 to 50 hours (6.94 +/- 0.26 and 7.89 +/- 0.16), without preference for schedule.


CONCLUSIONS
Community pharmacists in Galicia show a great interest in the provision and organization of continuing education activities that meet their needs and expectations.
Cordero
Luis
L
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Cadavid
M Isabel
MI
Fernández-Llimós
Fernando
F
Díaz
Carlos
C
Sanz
Ferran
F
Loza
Maria Isabel
MI
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003139:Common Cold / Q000628:therapy; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D020375:Education, Distance; D004513:Education, Pharmacy, Continuing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D010594:Pharmacies; D010595:Pharmacists; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods