Leveraging bibliometric analysis competencies for improved postgraduate pharmaceutical education in China

Abstract

Postgraduate pharmaceutical students are at the forefront of drug development and application in China. In recent years, global pandemics, demand for the research and development of new drugs, and college and university requirements of outcome-based education (OBE) indicate that major reforms in postgraduate pharmaceutical education are essential. A currently neglected aspect of OBE in Chinese pharmaceutical education is bibliometric analysis. To establish a framework for bibliometric analysis training, the researchers searched the top 50 research works in major academic databases using the keywords “Pharmacy education” and “Framework.” Ten papers were selected that were closest to the desired paradigm. The procedures, theoretics, and goals of the frameworks in these papers were combined with the researchers’ teaching and research experience to construct a bibliometric analysis competency (BAC) framework. The BAC framework, which was created to fill current gaps in postgraduate pharmaceutical education, constitutes three levels: (A) knowledge; (B) familiarization; and (C) mastering. The three levels require graduate students to (A) have a preliminary understanding of the steps of bibliometrics, (B) comprehend the literature on bibliometrics, and (C) independently apply the steps to perform bibliometric analysis, respectively. This paper also describes the theoretical setup of the BAC framework and a potential assessment system. The BAC framework provides a useful reference for the reform of Chinese pharmaceutical graduate education, and its future implementation is urgently anticipated.

Keywords

Bibliometric analysis competencies / Framework / Pharmaceutical education / Postgraduate education / China

Funding

The authors would like to thank the financial support from Major Funding of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.  82330112) and Guangdong Universities Keynote Regions Special Funded Project (Grant No. 2022ZDZX2002).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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