Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, an in-person workshop titled “The Future Vision of Pharmacists and the Challenges They Face” was held at the College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad. The workshop was delivered by our esteemed guest, Dr. Ghazi Fadil Al-Tamimi, who returned from abroad after spending many years in research and teaching at our college and at prestigious international academic institutions.The workshop aimed to shed light on the future role of pharmacists in healthcare and to review the professional challenges they face at both national and global levels. The workshop covered several topics, including the future vision of the pharmacy profession, which emphasized strengthening partnerships in healthcare, adopting digital and modern technologies in pharmacy, personalized and genomic medicine, sustainable pharmaceutical management, and continuous pharmaceutical education. The workshop also addressed professional challenges, discussing global challenges such as objections to expanding the role of pharmacists, digital transformation, drug shortages, and supply chain issues. In addition to national challenges, including insufficient regulation and oversight, the spread of counterfeit medications, economic hardships, limited job opportunities, and the absence of training, education, and continuous professional development programs for practicing pharmacists. The workshop concluded by emphasizing the importance of enhancing collaboration between pharmacists and healthcare institutions, developing pharmaceutical skills in line with global advancements, and reaffirming the pivotal role of pharmacists within the comprehensive healthcare system.
