title: Stakeholder perspectives on outcome expectations of pharmacy graduates from a Caribbean school of pharmacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore stakeholders' views regarding the performance of pharmacy graduates upon entering the workforce and to identify curricular deficiencies and possible solutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Practicing pharmacists, many of whom were members of government and pharmacy organizations, were asked to complete a 40-item questionnaire to determine their views regarding the educational outcomes of pharmacy graduates from a Caribbean pharmacy school. In addition, the stakeholders participated in focus group discussions to capture feedback not gathered on the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten stakeholders completed the questionnaire and 11 participated in the focus group discussions. Stakeholders rated graduates higher than average in 13 educational outcomes: application of knowledge and skills, patient care, communication skills, confidentiality, ethics, problem solving, and innovation. However, responses to open-ended questions and comments made during the focus group discussions identified deficiencies, which included a lack of clinical faculty members and qualified preceptors to teach pharmacy students, and the need to revise basic sciences courses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Feedback from key stakeholders suggests that the quality of pharmacy graduates is above average for the most part; however, additional work is needed to address the deficiencies identified.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The University of the West Indies - St. Augustine Campus, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. patricia.sealy2@sta.uwi.edu
authors.forename: Patricia Ingrid
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Sealy
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Bidyadhar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sa
authors.forename: Diane N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Ignacio
authors.forename: Rian M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Extavour
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality; D003479:Curriculum; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000592:standards; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005246:Feedback; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy / Q000592:standards; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago
keywords: competency; pharmacy graduates; stakeholders