Introduction: Research is essential to the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia, however, participation remains low due to barriers such as limited research knowledge, training, and support. To address this, the pharmacy department of a large Melbourne health service prioritised developing research skills through an organisation-wide workshop.
Methods: In September 2024, a one-hour face-to-face workshop was conducted, featuring three group activities: 1) literature searching and research question development, 2) project implementation, and 3) results analysis and discussion. A case study and questions were created to promote discussions with a facilitator. Pharmacists participated in one activity and completed pre- and post-workshop surveys to assess their confidence and the workshop's quality.
Results: A total of 88 participants (32% of the rostered staff) attended the workshop across seven sites. In total, 74 pre-workshop and 59 post-workshop survey responses were received. Thirty-six participants completed both surveys. In the pre-workshop survey, participants requested knowledge or improvement across four key themes: general research knowledge, specific research skills, research resources and local submission processes. Participants who completed both surveys (n=36) self-reported improvements in confidence (with ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ responses) across all questions, the highest increases for ‘I can formulate research questions’ (33% to 94%), ‘I understand different categories of data’ (11% to 61%) and ‘I am familiar with avenues to present or publish a research manuscript/abstract’ (22% to 67%). The majority of the 59 participants who completed the post-workshop survey ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that the workshop was engaging (97%), worthwhile to attend (95%), and provided knowledge that will impact on practice (93%). Participants also requested additional time and sessions for research education in their feedback.
Conclusion: The workshop improved pharmacists' self-reported confidence in research skills and was well-received. Attendance rates and feedback demonstrated broad engagement and an appetite for further research education.

Introduction: Lifelong learning is required for contemporary pharmacy practice, regardless of practice settings. AdPha’s Clinical Pharmacy Standards and suite of specialty standards support best practice and reflect the continuous evolution and extended scope of clinical pharmacy practice in Australia. Through lifelong learning, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians develop and contribute to AdPha standards. Lifelong learning via AdPha standards ensures pharmacists’ and technicians’ practice reflect changing needs of person-centred and culturally responsive approaches to patient care, from the hospital to wherever medicines are used.
Methods: A year of published AdPha standards were reviewed to determine the level of engagement with and contribution to AdPha standards. Number of citations, full text views, and attendance at webinars and workshops were analysed to evaluate utilisation of AdPha standards as a tool for lifelong learning. Previously published AdPha standards were mapped to updated AdPha standards to investigate how these standards have evolved over time to support lifelong learning, practice change, and extended scope of pharmacy practice.
Results: Six AdPha standards were published in 2024. In total, there were 56 co-authors, 244 reviewers, oversubscribed attendance at webinars and workshops, and continued growth in the number of full text views and citations. The format of AdPha standards has changed over time to better support lifelong learning and to reflect the evolving landscape of pharmacy practice, extended scope of practice, and the changing needs of person-centred and culturally responsive approaches to patient care.
Conclusion: Ongoing revision and expansion of AdPha standards cultivate and support lifelong learning on multiple levels, especially as the scope of practice continues to evolve and expand. Pharmacist and technician engagement in the development and utilisation of these standards ensure changing needs of person-centred and culturally responsive patient care and advances in healthcare are reflected, and the pharmacy workforce is informed and able to adapt.

Introduction: In an era of expanded practice for pharmacists in Australia, the impact of further education purporting to improve or expand such practice remains uncertain. This systematic review endeavours to summarise existing evidence, focusing on evaluations, barriers, and facilitators of formal education programs for registered pharmacists in Australia.
Methods: To explore evidence of outcomes, barriers, and enablers of formal postgraduate education programs for registered pharmacists in Australia, a systematic search of English-language primary literature (1997-2024) was conducted across Medline, Embase, A+ Education and ERIC, supplemented by grey literature, and backward and forward citation searches. Two separate researchers reviewed and reached consensus agreement for all included studies. Data was systematically reported using the Kirkpatrick Model of Learning Evaluation.
Results: After removing duplicates, 1344 studies were screened. Title and abstract screening eliminated 1249 studies, with 79 excluded following full-text screening, identifying 16 studies for data extraction. The most common programs reporting evaluations were hospital-based residency (n=6), specialised asthma service (n=3), and clinical pharmacy programs (n=2). Outcomes were largely positive across studies; participants improved and consolidated clinical knowledge and critical thinking skills, developed capacity for novel roles and greater understanding of existing roles, and there were perceived improvements to role enthusiasm and workforce retention. Notable barriers included time constraints, the need for flexibility to suit local and individual needs, and sufficiently skilled educators. Effective programs were facilitated by experiential learning and mentorship modalities.
Conclusion: There is limited published research regarding post-registration education for Australian pharmacists, with a hospital-based residency program most frequently evaluated. Future research should evaluate a wider range of education programs to evaluate the impact on learners, organisations, and health systems more broadly. Barriers and facilitators noted across studies may inform future program development.

Introduction: The Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) Resident Training Program, formerly known as the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia Foundation Residency Program was launched in 2017 as Australia’s first practice-based training program for early-career pharmacists or pharmacists entering hospital pharmacy. The Resident Training Program is a 2-year program which includes 6-month rotations across medical, surgical, operational and breadth practice areas. Across these rotations Resident candidates complete a structured framework of workplace-based assessments (WBAs), reflective practice, peer feedback, seminar attendance and research.AdPha is responsible for the accreditation of each hospital network and ensures that they have the commitment, capacity and capability to deliver the Resident Training Program framework and support the professional development of each candidate to reach Australian and New Zealand College of Advanced Pharmacy (ANZCAP) Pharmacist Resident recognition.
Methods: A comprehensive review of the program over its first 7 years was conducted, focusing on site accreditation and candidate completion, which facilitated the identification of trends in the program’s expansion across Australia.
Results: The number of accredited training sites across Australia has increased from 27 to the current 53 (National = 2, Australian Capital Territory = 2, New South Wales = 9, Northern Territory = 2, Queensland = 15, South Australia = 1, Tasmania = 3, Victoria = 15, Western Australia = 5). Over the 7 years, 400 pharmacists have completed the program (National = 10, Australian Capital Territory = 23, New South Wales = 12, Northern Territory = 2, Queensland = 172, South Australia = 32, Tasmania = 7, Victoria = 136, Western Australia = 6).
Conclusion: The AdPha Resident Training Program has demonstrated significant growth in its first seven years, which reflects a robust commitment from the pharmacy profession to enhance the professional development of early-career pharmacists in hospital settings.