The Pharmaceutical Residency program, established in 2020 and implemented in 2023, offers specialized training over four years in hospital pharmacy, clinical analysis, and human genetics, taking place in National Health Service (SNS) units.
The Portuguese Association of Young Pharmacists (APJF) stated that two years of the program’s implementation revealed weaknesses needing correction, including the “absence of specific regulations, lack of transparency in admission and vacancy allocation processes, inequalities among training institutions, and the risk of residents being used as labor to fill service gaps in the SNS.”
The APJF advocates for the “immediate publication of the regulation outlined in Decree-Law No. 45/2025,” and suggests revising the selection method, creating a second admission phase, and mechanisms to ensure all vacancies are filled, preventing candidates and services from being excluded due to flaws in the current system.
Young pharmacists also request “regular audits, transparent criteria, and encouragement for the establishment of new centers to prevent resident concentrations in specific hospitals and exclusions in others.” They further propose reviewing training programs, allowing more autonomy in internship selection, integrating emergency duty rosters, and standardizing evaluation criteria nationally.
The APJF reported submitting a “Position Document on the Pharmaceutical Residency” to the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS), which also addresses contractual and career issues, advocating for salary progression, compensation for mandatory travel, access to health data, and integration of new specialists into the Pharmaceutical Career.
“The Pharmaceutical Residency is more than just a phase on paper,” stated Maria Lourenço, Vice-President of the APJF. “It is the foundation of the specialization of young pharmacists and a direct investment in the quality of healthcare. This document is a constructive contribution to the implementation of urgent measures to correct inequalities, enhance training, and ensure that the SNS values the pharmacist’s role for the benefit of citizens,” she added, as cited in the statement.
According to data from the Order of Pharmacists, as of March, there were over 300 resident pharmacists nationwide across the three specialized training areas.
