Following the signing of a relevant Memorandum of Cooperation between the PPhA and Health Hub, the programme offers pharmacists the opportunity to receive free training in new technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovative pharmaceutical care practices, leading to a certified qualification.
A nationally significant initiative
The initiative aims at the systematic upskilling of the pharmacy community across the entire country, with the goal of establishing a shared, modern knowledge base around technological developments that are radically transforming the way healthcare is delivered and how health services are provided by pharmacists within the community pharmacy.
Since registrations opened on 13 October, the response has been impressive: more than 1,500 pharmacists submitted applications to participate, demonstrating the strong interest and the sector’s clear need for continuous education and digital upskilling.
According to Konstantinos Demetzos, Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology at the Department of Pharmacy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, who holds the academic responsibility for the courses, “this is a project with nationwide impact, offering pharmacists the opportunity to acquire unified, certified and practically applicable knowledge on digital tools and new health technologies.”
He added that “this initiative contributes to the creation of a horizontal culture of digital skills, strengthening the role of the pharmacist as a modern healthcare professional and positioning them as a more active ally of citizens in care and prevention.”
The training programme
The training programme covers thematic areas including pharmaceutical care for patients, pharmacovigilance, prescribing and patient communication, the management of therapeutic challenges, as well as the integration of artificial intelligence and digital tools into pharmaceutical practice.
The Pharmacy team of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens consists of Professors Marilena Vlachou and Evangelos Karalis, as well as Professors Stavros Stavrinidis and Michalis Chanias from Democritus University of Thrace. The programme also involves Dr Stavros Pitsikalis and Ilona-Eleftheria Ouasitsa from the Lifelong Learning Programmes of the University of the Aegean, under the scientific supervision of Emeritus Professor Chrysi Vitsilaki.
The training programme is co-funded by the European Union and the Competitiveness Programme (NSRF 2021–2027).
For more information and registration, you may visit the website of the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association.