Designing a pharmacist primary care certificate training program based on employer perceptions.

Background: As the pharmacy profession transforms toward practice centered around direct patient care and clinical services, upskilling the existing workforce may be required for pharmacists to take on expanded roles, especially in an increasingly competitive job market. Objective: To explore pharmacist employer perceptions of a primary care certificate training program including its design, value, and relevance and to develop and implement a pharmacist primary care certificate training program based on study results. Methods: Focus groups were conducted to a point of saturation in December 2020 via video conference. Participants were identified via the study institution's continuing professional development registrant listserv and invited to participate via self-selection. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and underwent inductive thematic analysis. Results: Four focus groups were conducted with 15 pharmacist employers. Employers perceived primary care certificate training as valuable, helping pharmacists sustain shifting roles and increasing opportunities in a competitive job market. A combination of clinical and practice management topics with emphasis on an experiential component was recommended to achieve expected competency levels and favorably influence hiring decisions. The primary care certificate was specifically recommended to pharmacists aiming to transition into primary care or for pharmacists who did not complete residency training. Conclusions: This study's findings informed development of a pharmacist primary care certificate program containing didactic and experiential training on a variety of key topics. As pharmacists' roles evolve, this program may prepare pharmacists to engage in direct patient care and develop skills and expertise necessary to succeed in outpatient primary care.