Against the background of the virus pandemic and resulting self-isolation of trainees and instructors in 2020, traditional classroom training courses are being replaced by various forms of distance, electronic and on-line training activities both in the Republic of Belarus and globally.
training duration - 40 hours (five days)
number of listeners – 8 to 10 students
The training course is aimed at providing accessibility and openness. It offers a viable opportunity to learn remotely without leaving one's home. This enables medical specialists to avoid trips or absence at work, and to combine work with study. You do not have to change plans because of the pandemic.
The “Pharmaceutical Counseling” competence development program involves application of various techniques, and is intended for skill training of pharmacists in pharmaceutical counseling of patients in self-administration of over-the-counter medicines and providing medical assistance in the alleviation and control of symptoms and ailments that admit self-medication. The importance of the training program stems from the tendency of many pharmacy buyers to self-medicate, which requires pharmacists to possess extensive knowledge and competencies in the field of pharmaceutical counseling. This also calls for enhancement of competencies related to pharmaceutical activities in light of the new economical and social environment and in line with international requirements and standards.
The aims of the competence development program are:
- training and professional development of pharmacists in proper selection of pharmaceutical options that would satisfy the needs of the customer;
- provision of information on safe usage of the purchased medicinal product;
- acquiring theoretical knowledge of the psychology behind interactions with pharmacy buyers and
- hands-on skills in proper pharmacy practices.
The objectives of the training program include acquiring, development and systematization of knowledge in the sphere of providing information and counseling assistance in the application of various kinds of pharmaceuticals and their safe use, particularly by certain types of patients (children, pregnant and seniors patients).
To achieve the aims and goals of the program, we use asynchronous networking technologies (offline training) that include forums, email services and a Telegram channel. We also use synchronous networking technologies (online training methods): voice and video conferences via chats and Zoom.
We use Zoom for online training. The platform offers the following advantages:
- the real-time communication and discussion feature;
- the interactive whiteboard function;
- joint viewing of content (presentations, video materials, etc.);
- a chat for message and file exchange;
- the attendance control function; and
- the training session archival function.