Pharmacy Education in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a country of approximately eleven million people located in south central Africa. In some respects, pharmacy education at the University of Zimbabwe is similar to that in the United States; the development of communication skills and the role of the pharmacist as the drug expert are both emphasized. Compounding continues to be a major focus of study since bulk compounding is more economical than purchasing pre-packaged drugs from a manufacturer for a developing country. The pharmacy curriculum at the University of Zimbabwe has an emphasis on pharmacy practice in rural settings. As in the U.S., attracting health care workers to rural areas remains problematic. Curricula designed to provide exposure to practice in rural settings early during their education may influence some students to practice in underserved locations following graduation or at some point in their careers.