The expansion of home medical care and the growth in sales of OTC, coupled with Japan’s aging society and the need to reduce medical costs has broadened the role of the pharmacist to include physical assessment. In response, the Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, implemented the Physical Assessment Practical Training Course (PAPTC) to improve the physical assessment skills of pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists. In order to investigate pharmacy students’ and practicing pharmacists’ perceptions of PAPTC, a questionnaire using a five-part, forced- choice Lykert type scale was conducted. The results of the questionnaire were analyzed using factor analysis and cluster analysis. The total number of respondents was 456. Three hundred thirteen of the respondents were students, and 143 of the respondents were practicing pharmacists. Factor analysis revealed four factors which we titled, “Physical Assessment Skills”, “Physical Assessment Course”, “Pharmacist Jobs” and, “Knowledge Required by Pharmacist”. Subsequently, cluster analysis identified two distinct groups. Group A which constituted primarily of pharmacy students, and Group B which consisted primarily of practicing pharmacists. Each group displayed notable differences in perceptions related to PAPTC. These differences may be influenced by perceptions toward “skills” and/or “knowledge”. These findings suggest that in order to better address the motivational needs of the participants, PAPTC should be divided into two courses. One, for knowledge-based instruction, and other for skill-based practice.

The expansion of home medical care and the growth in sales of OTC, coupled with Japan’s aging society and the need to reduce medical costs has broadened the role of the pharmacist to include physical assessment. In response, the Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, implemented the Physical Assessment Practical Training Course (PAPTC) to improve the physical assessment skills of pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists. In order to investigate pharmacy students’ and practicing pharmacists’ perceptions of PAPTC, a questionnaire using a five-part, forced- choice Lykert type scale was conducted. The results of the questionnaire were analyzed using factor analysis and cluster analysis. The total number of respondents was 456. Three hundred thirteen of the respondents were students, and 143 of the respondents were practicing pharmacists. Factor analysis revealed four factors which we titled, “Physical Assessment Skills”, “Physical Assessment Course”, “Pharmacist Jobs” and, “Knowledge Required by Pharmacist”. Subsequently, cluster analysis identified two distinct groups. Group A which constituted primarily of pharmacy students, and Group B which consisted primarily of practicing pharmacists. Each group displayed notable differences in perceptions related to PAPTC. These differences may be influenced by perceptions toward “skills” and/or “knowledge”. These findings suggest that in order to better address the motivational needs of the participants, PAPTC should be divided into two courses. One, for knowledge-based instruction, and other for skill-based practice.