Research Article

An Approach to Cultural Competence Education into the Pharmacy Curriculum: Glances from the Cuban Framework

Table 2

Professional profile of the pharmacist trained in Cuba.

Pharmaceutical sciences
Qualification: Bachelor of pharmaceutical sciences
Certification: Excellence (national accreditation board)
Study plan: E
Modality: Diurnal. Face-to-face (4 years). Course by Encounters – Blended (5 years)
Professional model:
Object of work
The object of work of the pharmacist includes medicines, supplements, cosmetics, and diagnostics as complex matrices that interact with the living organism and the environment.
Modes of action
The Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences is a graduate with a broad profile who must contribute to the socioeconomic development of the country and the improvement of health through his activity in pharmaceutical services and in the design, development, production, and control of medicines, supplements, diagnostics, and cosmetics.; For this, they must apply and integrate the knowledge acquired during their university studies, as well as the new ones generated from scientific-technical development, through basic and applied scientific research. All this must be done in a responsible manner with society and the environment, in accordance with the principles of professional ethics, and interacting with other professionals in multidisciplinary work teams.
Fields of action
The essence of the pharmacist’s work object is derived from his fields of action in biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, pharmaceutical analysis, pharmacological sciences, pharmaceutical biotechnology, social pharmacy, and education.
Spheres of action
The pharmacist can carry out their functions by interacting with other professionals in multidisciplinary teams from the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and cosmetic industries, regulatory agencies, drug marketing companies and other health products, research, and education centers. An exclusive sphere of action of the pharmacist is the community and hospital pharmaceutical services since she is the only professional with the required training to be able to interact with other members of the health team as the head of the medication.
Main functions of the professional
Program, direct and execute the technical and organizational tasks of community and hospital pharmaceutical services and pharmaceutical production. Participate in research, teaching, development, production, and service tasks. Obtain and characterize active ingredients and other products of pharmaceutical interest, through chemical synthesis, biotechnology, and/or isolation from natural sources. Consistently design, develop, and produce medicines, supplements, cosmetics, and diagnostics at different production scales. Manage, ensure, and control the quality of medicines, supplements, cosmetics and diagnostics during the processes of preparation, release, storage, distribution, and dispensing. Consistently design, develop, and produce medicines, supplements, cosmetics, and diagnostics at different production scales. Manage, ensure, and control the quality of medicines, supplements, cosmetics, and diagnostics during the processes of preparation, release, storage, distribution, and dispensing. Evaluate drugs and other products of pharmaceutical interest from the pharmacological, biopharmaceutical, and toxicological point of view through preclinical and clinical studies. Participate in scientific-technical and/or marketing information tasks related to their spheres of action. Schedule and execute the necessary tasks to guarantee the logistics of the medicine in normal conditions, in situations of natural disasters or armed aggression. Provide patient-oriented pharmaceutical services related to pharmacotherapeutic follow-up and the rational use of medicines. Guarantee compliance with the current regulatory framework through its participation in state pharmaceutical inspections, the sanitary authorization of new products, and its surveillance in the market