Empowering the Pharmaceutical Workforce: ECPG’s Role in Advancing FIP’s Development Framework

By Mahsa Zaghian

Introduction

FIP Development Goal 4 (DG4) focuses on advanced and specialist development, ensuring that educational and training infrastructure exists to support the recognised advancement of the pharmaceutical workforce. This goal seeks to enhance patient care and health system outcomes through sector-specific competency frameworks for advanced or specialised pharmacy practice and people-centred services. It also emphasises education, training, and mentoring to foster innovation and expertise in pharmaceutical sciences. FIP DG4 promotes a common understanding of specialisation and advanced practice, supporting competency across all sectors to optimise complex care, including potential prescribing roles. For early-career pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, DG4 is crucial as it provides pathways for professional growth, from foundational training to specialised positions, helping to build expertise early in their careers.

Education and Workforce Development

In education and workforce development, DG4 advocates for a shared definition of specialisation and advanced practice within the scope of responsible medicines use. It ensures competency among advanced pharmacists across various sectors, including industry and administration. It encourages the systematic application of professional recognition programmes as indicators of advancement. Early-career pharmacists and scientists can engage by participating in these frameworks, for instance, through FIP’s Global Competency Framework, which supports foundation and early-career development. This positions them to pursue certifications and contribute to workforce planning that aligns with evolving health needs.

Professional Practice

Here, DG4 promotes infrastructure such as board certification, residency training, and continuing professional development to underpin advanced roles. It advocates regulatory requirements, pathways for advanced services, and mechanisms that enable pharmacists to practise at the top of their licence, with appropriate recognition and incentives. For early-career pharmacists and scientists, this means accessing specialised training programmes to develop skills in patient-centred care, enabling them to deliver optimised services across diverse settings and advance their careers.

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Industry–Academia Collaboration

DG4 is reinforced by pharmaceutical sciences, which offer guidance on acquiring specialised expertise in various settings and establish recognition mechanisms, such as patents, fellowships, and grants. Collaboration between industry and academia fosters mentoring, networking, and leadership development for scientists at all levels. Early-career pharmacists and scientists can contribute through resources such as FIP’s Career Development Toolkit, which provides workbooks and guides to navigate academic and industrial paths.

ECPG call-out: Through FIP’s Early Career Pharmaceutical Group initiatives, such as remote volunteering and project participation, early career professionals can engage in specialist development, supporting global frameworks like the FIP Global Advanced Development Framework to advance the profession.

Conclusion

DG4 advances when education, practice, and science collaborate to build advanced expertise centred on patient needs. For early-career pharmacists, it creates structured opportunities to develop specialisations, contribute to innovation, and drive pharmacy transformation. By engaging actively, they strengthen career pathways and support sustainable health systems.

The following FIP programmes of work and structures support the implementation of this goal: Global Academic Leadership Fellows Programme (GALFP) and FIP Hub.