Qualifications Framework level

EQF level

European Qualifications Framework (EQF) has 8 levels (1 – the lowest, 8 – the highest).

Levels reflect the complexity level of acquired knowledge, skills and competences (learning outcomes).


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LQF level

Latvian Qualifications Framework (LQF) has 8 levels (1 – the lowest, 8 – the highest).

Levels reflect the complexity level of acquired knowledge, skills and competences (learning outcomes).

LQF covers stages of education starting from the basic education (level 1 – special basic education) to the highest education (level 8 – doctoral studies).


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7

Level of professional qualification
Till 1 august 2022 in Latvia had a system of five professional qualifications levels (PQL, 1 – the lowest, 5 – the highest).

PQL system covers only professional qualifications (basic education, secondary and higher education stages).

PQL reflects readiness of a person to perform work of certain stage of complexity and responsibility.
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Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are knowledge, skills and competences acquired during a certain period of learning.

In Latvia, learning outcomes are stipulated by state education standards and occupational standards (for the professional qualifications).

Learning outcomes of higher education are defined by higher education institutions.


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Knowledge:
The students are able to demonstrate in-depth and extended theoretical and methodological knowledge of clinical pharmacology, pharmacology, drug metabolism and their interaction, pharmaceutical biochemistry and toxicology, pharmacoeconomics, providing safe, rational and pharmacoeconomically justified diagnostics and pharmacotherapy.

Skills:
The students are able to use the acquired knowledge and problem-solving skills, evidence-based medicine principles to carry out the research work and to perform professional functions of a highly qualified clinical pharmacist in choosing the most appropriate drug treatment model for a patient working together with a doctor and carrying out drug therapy monitoring;
– define independently and analyse critically the pharmacotherapy prescribed to patients, taking into account the diagnosis, symptoms, test results and principles of safety, efficiency and economy;
– organise and carry out direct drug distribution, monitoring of drug use and drug-related adverse events in patients and, if necessary, propose adjustments to pharmacotherapy.

Competence:
The students are able to participate in rational pharmacotherapy directed health care policy development, identification of directions of development and objectives, in forecasting and planning of separate stages, decision making, system improvement;
– carry out monitoring of drug use and consumption, evaluation and analysis;
– contribute to the organisation of clinical research and supervision of its process and to participate in drug committee of a medical institution;
– explain persuasively and discuss drug administration (pharmacodynamics, pharmokinetics and pharmacoeconomic analysis) issues with health care specialists and patients;
– define and analyse current problems in clinical pharmacy, review scientific literature, choose the most appropriate way in problem solving and data acquisition, process the data and summarize the findings;
– analyse and assess the results gained and present the result within the Masters’ theses.

 

Clinical pharmacist

  • Knowledge

    1. Basic knowledge of:
    1.1. socio-psychological, administrative and economic management methods;
    1.2. basics of genetics in medicine;
    1.3. basic principles of rehabilitation.
    2. Understanding of:
    2.1. basics of internal diseases;
    2.2. anaesthesiology and reanimation basics;
    2.3. transplantation basics;
    2.4. basics of infectious diseases;
    2.5. general care principles of chronic diseases;
    2.6. basics of individualized medicine;
    2.7. mental health principles, basic principles of addiction treatment;
    2.8. basic principles and methods of alternative medicine;
    2.9. basic principles of nutrition;
    2.10. public health and epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, health and health care statistics;
    2.11. general principles of health care organization and financing;
    2.12. basic principles of economics and health economics;
    2.13. professional terminology in the official language and at least two foreign languages.
    3. Ability to apply knowledge of:
    3.1. evidence-based pharmacotherapy principles, guidelines, standards, care algorithms;
    3.2. pharmacokinetic process;
    3.3. pharmaco-dynamic process;
    3.4. pharmacotherapy of internal diseases;
    3.5. pharmacotherapy of the nervous system diseases;
    3.6. pharmacotherapy principles in urology, obstetrics and gynaecology;
    3.7. pharmacotherapy principles of dermatological diseases;
    3.8. pharmacotherapy principles and immunization of infectious diseases;
    3.9. pharmacotherapy principles of eye, ear and mouth diseases;
    3.10. pharmacotherapy peculiarities of patients of special groups;
    3.11. pharmacotherapy in the perioperative care;
    3.12. pain therapy principles;
    3.13. pharmaco-economical analysis and modeling methods;
    3.14. pharmacogenetics principles;
    3.15. diagnostic, disease and health screening;
    3.16. health promotion, health preservation and disease prevention;
    3.17. medical interactions (with the disease, with other medicines, with laboratory tests, with nutrients);
    3.18. introduction and implementation of a pharmacovigilance system;
    3.19. non-pharmacological therapies, nutritional supplements, herbal preparations;
    3.20. dietetics, feeding (enteric and parenteral);
    3.21. body fluids, electrolytes, acid-base balance;
    3.22. interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic tests;
    3.23. environmental health principles, human and environmental relationships, occupational risk factors, assessment methods thereof, quality of the environment, nutrition, water;
    3.24. personal development, management and communication psychology, psychological support services;
    3.25. regulations governing professional activities in the field of health care;
    3.26. basic principles of professional ethics;
    3.27. basic principles of statistical data analysis;
    3.28. information technologies;
    3.39. document management basics;
    3.30. environmental protection;
    3.31. official language;
    3.32. two foreign languages at a communication level;
    3.33. labour protection;
    3.34. employment relationship.

  • Skills

    1. To take part in the planning, organization and monitoring of rational use of funds for purchasing medicine.
    2. To participate in the development and updating of national and hospital pharmaceutical forms.
    3. To take part in the development, implementation and improvement of drug therapy guidelines.
    4. To take part in the development, implementation and improvement of a pharmacovigilance system.
    5. To take part in the development, implementation and improvement of a drug therapy failure detection, analysis and prevention system.
    6. To take part in infection control measures.
    7. To take part in the development, maintenance and use of a rational drug information system.
    8. To participate in the development and supervision of drug-related quality criteria.
    9. To analyse the work of public health services and, if necessary, suggest changes.
    10. To be part of the Medicinal Products Committee, if established in the medical institution.
    11. To advise health care professionals on the basis of established guidelines, standards, evidence-based medical findings.
    12. To give oral and written information to persons involved in prescribing, administration or consumption of medicine on all issues related to medicine and use thereof in accordance with the specific situation.
    13. To consult patients and pharmacists on patient care and monitoring issues and the peculiarities of concomitant non-prescription medicine.
    14. To monitor, detect and prevent adverse medicinal interactions, side effects and medical therapy errors, review the medical therapy.
    15. To control and monitor the efficiency and safety of medical therapy with special attention to patients with prescribed medications with narrow therapeutic effects and, if necessary, calculate individual doses, recommend therapy monitoring principles.
    16. To manage and monitor the use of medicines in special populations (patients who need special feeding, geriatric patients, paediatric patients, cancer patients, patients with compromised immune systems).
    17. To obtain information through medical records.
    18. To collect and document information on the final outcome of a patient’s treatment and health care costs, carry out pharmaco-economical study, determining the differences of therapy costs and comparing the final outcome differences of these methods.
    19. In collaboration with doctors to assess a patient’s state, taking into account the diagnosis, symptoms and results of examinations.
    20. Together with a doctor to choose the most appropriate treatment based on the principles of safety, efficiency and economy with respect to indications, posology, frequency of use and duration.
    21. To participate in councils and committees.
    22. To prepare, interpret, analyse and summarize the clinical information of a patient.
    23. To perform proper clinical examination (express diagnostics, etc.) within one’s competence and interpret available clinical examination results.
    24. To create a comprehensive list of medical problems.
    25. Within one’s competence to assess the state, etiology, risk factors and complications of a patient’s medical issue.
    26. Within one’s competence to determine medical priorities on the basis of urgency and severity thereof.
    27. To identify parts of a patient’s health requiring prophylactic/preventive interventions and health promotion measures.
    28. To select strategies for disease/complication prevention.
    29. To convincingly substantiate recommendations for individual patient care on the basis of pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, phrmacogenetic, pharmaco-economic, ethical, legal and evidence-based information.
    30. To identify and consider risk of chronic disease on the basis of patient (client) surveys, physical examination and express-test results.
    31. To monitor the progress of chronic diseases and pharmacotherapy, documenting the effectiveness, side effects, economic analysis.
    32. To prepare medical treatment reports, analyse and recommend changes in treatment to the treating physician, promoting more effective and economical medicine.
    33. To assess a patient’s adherence to therapy and influencing factors.
    34. To take part in the development and implementation of health care specialist and student training.
    35. To continuously improve knowledge and skills and contribute to the development of the field of clinical pharmacy.
    36. To continuously improve the range and quality of clinical pharmacy services and carry out quality self-assessment of provided clinical pharmacy services.
    37. To observe basic principles of professional ethics.
    38. To use and comply with laws and regulations governing the pharmaceutical, medical and health care organizations and personal data protection.
    39. To assess, plan, and implement public health programs on the basis of epidemiological information sources and the key epidemiological indicators.
    40. Within one’s competence, to assess the clinical state, set goals, adopt corresponding decisions, act in accordance with the objectives and predict the expected result.
    41. To plan scientific research, prepare projects, participate in the implementation thereof.
    42. To determine the degree of evidence of pharmaceutical research data.
    43. To work in accordance with the level of scientific and technological development on the basis of evidence-based principles.
    44. To write scientific articles and reports in the field of pharmacy.
    45. To organize and supervise clinical trials.
    46. To organize and participate in research data processing, interpretation and publishing.
    47. To build and maintain effective communication.
    48. To be part of a multi-disciplinary health care team within one’s competence.
    49. To use information technologies in one’s work, draw up business documents.
    50. To know the official language.
    51. To use professional terminology in the official language and at least one foreign language.
    52. To know at least two foreign languages at a communication level.
    53. To comply with environmental regulations.
    54. To comply with occupational safety, electric safety, fire safety and hygiene requirements.
    55. To meet the requirements of employment relationship.

  • Competences/ autonomy

    1. Ability to take part in the development of a rational policy in the field of pharmacotherapy, determination of development directions and goals, prediction and planning of separate stages thereof, decision-making, system improvement.
    2. Ability to provide advice to health care professionals and patients on matters related to medical therapy.
    3. Ability to carry out monitoring, assessment and analysis of the use and consumption of medicine.
    4. Ability to establish pharmacotherapy that fits the individual, cooperating with medical staff.
    5. Ability to implement health promotion activities, disease prevention and early disease detection.
    6. Ability to carry out pharmacotherapy monitoring of chronic diseases.
    7. Ability to organize and get involved in health care staff and student training.
    8. Ability to take responsibility for one’s professional activities.
    9. Ability to promote the prestige of the profession and follow the principles of professional ethics and legislative regulations governing pharmaceutical, medical and health care organizations of different areas to ensure personal data protection.
    10. Ability to plan and conduct pharmaceutical research of scientific value.
    11. Ability to organize and supervise clinical trials.
    12. Ability to manage subordinates, consolidate a team to achieve professional goals.
    13. Ability to communicate in the official language and at least two foreign languages.
    14. Ability to comply with occupational safety, fire safety and environmental safety requirements.
    15. Ability to meet the requirements of employment relationship.
    16. Ability to use information technologies, draw up business documents.
    17. Ability to observe basic principles of professional and general ethics.

Qualification acquisition requirements

Previous education
Higher education qualification of LQF level 6 (bachelor, professional bachelor or professional higher education qualification) in the same or compatible branch of science or professional field of higher education, as well as a certain professional experience laid down by higher education institution
Ways to acquire 
Qualifications can be acquired in the framework of education programs or in the evaluation and recognition of non-formal knowledge, skills and competences acquired (in vocational education LKI Levels 2-4).
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Formal (through education programmes)
ECTS credit points 
Snice 11.10.2022 60 credit points correspond to the study results acquired in full-time studies in one academic year in accordance with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).Since 11.10.2022

Till 11.10.2022 1 Latvian credit point corresponds to 1,5 ECTS credit point.
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150
Duration of study 
Duration of qualification in full-time studies
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1-2 years

Qualification document

Awarding body

Higher education institution:

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Qualifications Framework level

EQF level

European Qualifications Framework (EQF) has 8 levels (1 – the lowest, 8 – the highest).

Levels reflect the complexity level of acquired knowledge, skills and competences (learning outcomes).


Go to the Glossary section
?

7

LQF level

Latvian Qualifications Framework (LQF) has 8 levels (1 – the lowest, 8 – the highest).

Levels reflect the complexity level of acquired knowledge, skills and competences (learning outcomes).

LQF covers stages of education starting from the basic education (level 1 – special basic education) to the highest education (level 8 – doctoral studies).


Go to the Glossary section
?

7

Level of professional qualification

Till 1 august 2022 in Latvia had a system of five professional qualifications levels (PQL, 1 – the lowest, 5 – the highest).

PQL system covers only professional qualifications (basic education, secondary and higher education stages).

PQL reflects readiness of a person to perform work of certain stage of complexity and responsibility.


Go to the Glossary section
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5

Qualification field, stage and type

Thematic field (ISCED 2013)
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) developed by UNESCO.
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Health (091)

Detailed field: (ISCED 2013)

Pharmacy (0916)

Education
Stages of Latvian education system included in the LQF:
- basic education
- secondary education
- higher education
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Higher education

Qualification type
ITypes of Latvian education:
-General education
-Professional education
-Academic education
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Vocational

Full or partial

Full qualification

Other information

National Education Information System

National Database of Education Opportunities

Historical qualification

Period for issuing qualification: 2013-2024

Last changes: 10.03.2025

Posted: 07.05.2016