Professional diploma in clinical pharmacy- critical care specialty

11 August 2026

10 August 2028

Diploma

The general organization for teaching hospitals and institutes GOTHI Cairo

80 CPD (40 CPD/ year)

pharmacists

First year

1. Graduate Attributes: A graduate of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, must be able to:

1.1 Apply the specialized knowledge he/she has acquired in general pharmacotherapy.

1.2 Identify patients' needs, specify therapy goals and design an optimal individualized plan and a monitoring strategy.

1.3 Detect, prevent and resolve drug-therapy problems encountered in a hospital setting, using the analytical approach.

1.4 Provide drug information and education at the patient and health professional's levels.

1.5 Master professional skills and use appropriate technological means in his/ her clinical practice.

1.6 Communicate and lead work teams through collaboration with other healthcare professionals, including physician, clinical pharmacy, nurses, and other members of healthcare team.

1.7 Make a decision in light of the available information through intervention.

1.8 Efficiently use the available resources in hospital to maximize benefits.

1.9 Be aware of his/ her role in community development and environmental protection.

1.10 Demonstrate responsibility to patients, give priority to patient care activities, plan prospectively & complete all steps of the medication management process.

1.11 Appreciate self-development & show continuous learning including short courses and special programs.

2. General Standards:

2.1 Knowledge & Understanding: By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and clear understanding of the following:

A1. Theories, principles of pathophysiology and pharmacotherapeutics in different diseases.

A2. Recent guidelines therapy modalities to achieve better efficacy and safety.

A3. Steps of evidence based medicine in clinical practice for improving patient quality of care.

A4. Ethical and legal principles for patient care; Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence & justice.

A5. Ethical and legal principles with healthcare team.

A6. Basics and principles of quality in clinical pharmacy practice.

A7. Basics and principles of patient safety; medication reconciliation, medication error and adverse drug event.

A8. The impact of professional practice on the environment and work to protect the environment from any hazardous material.

A9. The impact of professional practice on the environment and work to protect patients, and other workers.

2.2 Intellectual (thinking) skills: By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should be able to:

B1. Interpret the patient's health related problems.

B2. Identify the drug therapy problems.

B3. Integrate information from different disciplines to solve patient drug related problem.

B4. Evaluate clinical trials as basis for evidence based medicine.

B5. Efficiently use the drug information resources.

B6. Evaluate risk benefit ratio in a therapy plan for a particular patient.

B7. Choose the most appropriate drug for a particular patient regarding efficacy, safety & cost.

B8. Make professional decisions regarding medication management in light of available information.

 2.3 Professional skills: By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should be able to:

C1. Design a drug therapy plan based on patient specific data.

C2. Analyze the patient's signs & symptoms as they relate to drug therapy.

C3. Assess drug efficacy and safety through evaluation of appropriate physical & laboratory parameters.

C4. Identify, prevent and solve drug-related problems

C5. Efficiently write patient follow up to document all patient data including; investigation, diagnosis, lab results, medications

C6. Write effective reports of drug therapy problems (DTP).

2.4 General & transferable skills: By successful completion of Professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should be able to:

D1. Communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare practitioners.

D2. Use information technology in retrieving updated drug information from different sources.

D3. Self-evaluate and identify his/ her personal learning needs.

D4. Use different sources to obtain information and knowledge including recent guidelines, text books and drug information applications.

D5. Demonstrate effective time management, manage conflict effectively & demonstrate effective negotiation skills.

D6. Demonstrate ability to lead a team.

D7. Learn independently and continuously/ Practice self and continuous learning

Second year

1. Graduate Attributes A graduate of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, must be able to:

1.1 Demonstrate advanced knowledge in the pharmacotherapy and clinical management of complex and multi-system disorders in critical care settings.

1.2 Integrate individualized care plans and advanced monitoring strategies for critically ill patients, adapting to changing clinical status.

1.3 Detect, prevent, and resolve multifactorial drug-therapy problems in critically unstable patients using a high-level analytical approach.

1.4 Provide drug information and education to both patients’ families (where appropriate) and all healthcare professionals in critical care setting.

1.5 Demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of advanced clinical technologies and therapeutic modalities—such as mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)—including their indications, mechanisms, clinical implications, and pharmacotherapy considerations.

1.6 Exhibit teamwork, collaborating optimally with intensivists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in acute clinical scenarios.

1.7 Provide evidence-based, well-considered clinical recommendations promptly to ensure patient safety and promote favorable treatment results

1.8 Demonstrate high responsibility through patient-centered care, active participation in ICU protocols, and continuous quality improvement.

2. General Standards

2.1 Knowledge & Understanding By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and clear understanding of the following:

A1. Advanced pathophysiology and clinical management of severe and multiorgan system disorders commonly encountered in intensive care (pulmonary, cardiovascular, neurological, infectious, renal, GI, endocrine, and toxicologic emergencies).

A2. Principles and application of evidence-based medicine and clinical trial interpretation in critical care.

A3. Advanced concepts in medication safety: medication reconciliation, error prevention, and management of adverse events in the ICU.

A4.Advanced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles in critically ill patients, including dose individualization based on altered drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in the context of organ dysfunction, extracorporeal support (e.g., ECMO, CRRT), and altered physiology.

A5. Mechanisms of drug interactions and their clinical implications in polypharmacy patients commonly encountered in the ICU, including enzyme induction/inhibition and transporter-mediated drug disposition.

A6. Antimicrobial stewardship in ICU settings, including resistance mechanisms, pharmacodynamic targets for antibiotics, and strategies to minimize toxicity and resistance development.

A7. Advanced toxicology concepts including the mechanisms of common ICU toxins, antidote pharmacology, and evidence-based acute management of poisoning.

2.2 Intellectual (Thinking) Skills By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should be able to:

B1. Critically analyze and interpret complex clinical, laboratory, and monitoring data in critically ill patients.

B2. Identify, prioritize, and resolve multiple, concurrent drug-related and therapeutic problems in a dynamic ICU setting.

B3. Synthesize and integrate information from pharmacology, physiology, pathology, and diagnostics to solve challenging patient cases.

B4. Critically evaluate clinical trials, systematic reviews, and outcome data to inform best-practice therapy in the ICU.

B5. Efficiently utilize pharmacotherapy resources, specialized ICU databases, and information technology.

B6. Assess and balance risks and benefits for individualized treatment plans in the presence of polypharmacy, drug interactions, altered metabolism and organ support therapies.

B7. Select and justify the most appropriate medications and interventions for highly complex clinical situations, considering cost, safety, and efficacy.

2.3 Professional Skills By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should be able to:

C1. Design, implement, and adapt comprehensive drug therapy plans based on evolving patient-specific data and advanced monitoring.

C2. Analyze and synthesize trends in signs, symptoms, diagnostic imaging, and laboratory investigations relevant to drug therapy optimization.

C3. Assess efficacy and safety through ongoing and advanced evaluation methods, including continuous vital signs, laboratory, and pharmacokinetic parameters.

C4. Prevent and resolve complex ICU drug-related problems, including those associated with high-risk medications (inotropes, vasoactives, sedatives).

C5. Consistently and thoroughly document all pharmaceutical care activities, recommendations, and follow-ups in the critically ill.

C6. Prepare high-quality written and verbal reports for ICU drug therapy problems, interventions, and patient outcomes for professional teams.

2.4 General & Transferable Skills By successful completion of the professional diploma in clinical pharmacy, critical care specialty, students should be able to:

D1. Communicate confidently and effectively with a range of healthcare professionals, patients’ families, and professional teams in the ICU.

D2. Apply advanced information technology and decision-support tools to rapidly access evidence and guidelines under emergent conditions.

D3. Conduct regular self-assessment and identify learning needs in advanced clinical competencies.

D4. Utilize and appraise critically the latest ICU guidelines, textbooks, research publications, and digital drug resources.

D5. Exhibit effective time management, handles conflict, and negotiates within high-pressure interdisciplinary teams.

D6. Lead, mentor, and guide colleagues and students in clinical and educational activities.

D7. Demonstrate ongoing independent learning, contribute to the education of others, and pioneer continuous improvement in ICU pharmacy practice

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