title: Pharmacist perceptions of new competency standards.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To suggest revisions to the Thai pharmacy competency standards and determine the perceptions of Thai pharmacy practitioners and faculty about the proposed pharmacy competency standards.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current competency standards were revised by brainstorming session with nine Thai pharmacy experts according to their perceptions of society's pharmacy needs. The revised standards were proposed and validated by 574 pharmacy practitioners and faculty members by using a written questionnaire. The respondents were classified based on their practice setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The revision of pharmacy competency standard proposed the integration and addition to current competencies. Of 830 distributed questionnaires, 574 completed questionnaires were received (69.2% response rate). The proposed new competency standards contained 7 domains and 46 competencies. The majority of the respondents were supportive of all 46 proposed competencies. The highest ranked domain was Domain 1 (Practice Pharmacy within Laws, Professional Standards, and Ethics). The second and third highest expectations of pharmacy graduates were Domain 4 (Provide pharmaceutical care) and Domain 3 (Communicate and disseminate knowledge effectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expectation for pharmacy graduates' competencies were high and respondents encouraged additional growth in multidisciplinary efforts to improve patient care.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University , Nakhon Pathom, ( Thailand ).
authors.forename: Pagamas
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maitreemit
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University , Bangkok, ( Thailand ).
authors.forename: Petcharat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pongcharoensuk
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University , Nakhon Pathom, ( Thailand ).
authors.forename: Nattiya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kapol
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona . Tucson, AZ ( United States ).
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Armstrong
keywords: Education; Pharmacists; Pharmacy; Professional Competence; Thailand