The educational program for newly graduated pharmacists in the Department of Pharmacy, Hokkaido University Hospital was revised in 2011. To ensure the appropriateness and safety of drug treatment, an education program for newly graduated pharmacists for the purpose of learning ward-based pharmacy services was developed and a method for evaluating the usefulness of the program was proposed. The program was carried out for new pharmacists in 2013, and the usefulness and objectivity of the program were evaluated. In the program, the new pharmacists received training in central duties as well as seminars for developing problem-solving capabilities in basic duties, TDM seminars and other training. Assessment of the program was carried out every 2 weeks on the basis of evaluation check lists for pharmacy services compiled by the staff in charge, and the progress made in acquiring skills for performing duties was quantified and discussed at regular meetings of the staff in charge. One instructor was assigned to each new pharmacist, and interviews were conducted by the instructor to assess the pharmacist's capabilities for duties and problems including mental aspects. Based on the results of assessments, 3 of 17 new pharmacists had been assigned to ward duties in 2013. Thus, consideration should be given to the assessment period for some parts of the training. The education program for newly graduated pharmacists is therefore considered to be useful for training new pharmacists, and the establishment of indices for objective evaluation is expected to contribute greatly to the enhancement of capabilities to perform duties.
