Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Higher Education
King Faisal University
College of Clinical Pharmacy
Description of Current Pharmacy Practices in Saudi Arabia
The traditional role of pharmacists is to manufacture and supply medicines. More recently,
increase in health demands has changed the direction and focus of the pharmacists towards
patients instead of the Product.
In Saudi Arabia, the pharmacists primarily work in
community pharmacies and in hospitals. Many of these hospitals follow the North American
model in pharmacy practice.
The notion of clinical pharmacy exists since early 1980s but actual practicing clinical
pharmacist are few in number. Based on this notion College of Clinical Pharmacy at King
Faisal University was established.
At present the hospital administration realizes the need for clinical pharmacists and who are
in demand. Ministry of Health (MoH) has a program where it sends Saudi pharmacy
graduates to various countries to obtain higher degrees in pharmacy practice. MoH in
collaboration with Saudi Pharmaceutical Society (SPS) has established a 3 year residency
program and a graduate program for pharmacy practice in various hospitals of the Kingdom
that meet the set criteria. It is worth mentioning that the only ASHP accredited residency
program outside USA is in King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The criteria for practicing pharmacy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are well-defined. The
examination is compulsory in order to obtain a Pharmacist license, obtaining a pharmacy
license may vary with the qualification of the candidate. e.g. to be a consultant pharmacist
one has to have at least a Pharm. D degree with 2 years of ASHP accredited specialty
residency and minimum set years of practice experience.