Total Quality Management In Pharmacy Education - Potentials
By - 06/05/2007
Dr.G. Vidya Sagar
Lot of changes have taken place in the Pharmacy educational scenario in India since last four decades. There is a mushrooming increase in the number of Pharmacy colleges in the yester years.
During this half century, a number of B.Pharm Colleges have gone up to 400 and the output to around 8000 Graduates. This growth has contributed to the deterioration in the standards of Pharmacy education in India.
Hence it has become imperative that the Pharmacy colleges have to adopt some measures to improve their status so that they can sustain their existence. As change is the law of life and the winds of changes are sweeping in every sphere of life, hence now these colleges should transform their attitude and strive for excellence.
Recently,the Govt. of India has constituted a few autonomous bodies to gauge the standards of profession of Pharmacy & grade the colleges accordingly so that the students, parents, employers and funding agencies have a valid & reliable rating of the various Pharmacy colleges in the country.
These are:
(1)National Board of Accreditation (NBA) under the aegis of All India Council for Technical Education.
(2)National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) by the University Grants Commission.
Imperativeness of total quality management in Pharmacy Colleges:
In the light of deteriorating standards in Pharmacy Education which in turn is not matching the ever-changing requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, it has become necessary to bring quality in each and every activity of the Pharmacy institution. Hence the above statutory bodies formulated to infuse quality in Pharmacy education.
What is quality in Pharmacy Education?
Quality is confirmation to specifications
Quality needs no definition; you recognize it when you see it:
Quality is a relative concept & can’t be measured in absolute terms.
Quality has three important dimensions
(1) Quality for design
(2)Quality for Conformance
(3)Quality for Performance
Quality in Pharmacy education means what students have learnt as a result of their interaction with teachers, departments and university. Good buildings with well furnished and well maintained classrooms, well equipped laboratories, a rich library with ample facilities for students, well qualified and committed faculty and an environment which facilitates the prevalence of an effective teaching – learning process.
Measurement of Quality:
Certain indicators can utilized to measure the quality of Pharmacy education. Some of them are examination results, infrastructural facilities, R & D activities, Interaction with pharmaceutical industry, Job avenues, Students pursuing higher studies etc.
Total Quality Management - A New Concept in Pharmacy Education:
Education is also a Commodity. Hence if this commodity has to move fast in the market, it should have traits that a profit oriented business product will have. The quality of the product coming out from the Pharmacy colleges should match the fast changing global pharmaceutical scenario. Hence in this context, we should be able to conceptualize total quality management of Pharmacy colleges.
Total quality management (TQM) is a method of improving the effectiveness of an organization by involving every individual at every level within the organization so that they work together.
Quality Pharmacy education is the development of intellectual skills and knowledge that will provide the Pharmacy graduates to contribute to the social milieu by means of productive and satisfactory Pharmacy courses as industrial pharmacists, hospital pharmacists and improvers of the health scenario of the country.
Relevance of TQM to Pharmacy Education:
The principles enunciated in TQM are universal and they can be utilized for improving the quality of any product. Hence these principles can be applied to Pharmacy education as well with little modifications. Depending on the type of college, TQM principles can be modified to suit the requirements.
Principles of TQM Relevant to Pharmacy Institutions:
· Teaching aims and objectives should be clear, worth while and suitable to students and employer’s needs.
· Curriculum Policy should encourage new methods of promoting learning.
· Staff development including appointments, induction, appraisal and development.
· Employer’s contribution to curriculum design, delivery and outcomes.
· Innovative,Comprehensive and Flexible Pharmacy Educational System.
· Continuing Pharmacy educational programmes.
· Shift from a theoretical to a practical application oriented Pharmacy education.
· Quality assurance in Pharmacy education and accountability of faculty, supporting and other staff and administration.
· Intra and inter system linkage networking of Pharmacy colleges.
Conclusion:
By means of TQM, we can judge a Pharmacy college regarding its fulfillment of the objectives and its style of functioning and the achievements of the students.
{xtypo_quote_right}The author feels that it is high time now for all the Pharmacy colleges to go for TQM. But in reality it is not possible to implement TQM immediately because a very large number of Pharmacy colleges are their in the country. {/xtypo_quote_right} If a Pharmacy college gets accreditation it will be benefiting the students most because now a days there is an increasing sense of quality consciousness among the people. Hence if the college is accredited, it is recognized by people and there will be influx for admissions etc. Hence to get accreditation by Government, the Pharmacy colleges have to adopt total quality management and there is no other go.
About Author:
Principal, Veerayatan Institute of Pharmacy, Jakhania, Bhuj-Mandvi Road, Tal. Mandvi, Dist. Kutch. 370 460, Gujarat.
e-mail: - vidyasagar_gali@yahoo.com, vip_principal@yahoo.com
Phone: - 02834 – 275 243, Mobile: - 098253 72991, Fax: - 02834 – 275 245