Primary care education in undergraduate pharmacy programs in Japan: A nationwide content analysis of publicly available syllabi.

Japan's rapidly aging and shrinking population threatens the sustainability of community healthcare. Primary care (PC) is central to addressing this challenge, with pharmacists recognized as key contributors. However, the extent to which PC has been incorporated into pharmacy education across Japan remains unclear. This nationwide study aimed to examine PC integration across pharmacy programs, and to identify future directions for curriculum development to strengthen the pharmacists' role in community-based care. Towards this goal, a keyword-based content analysis of 81 universities and colleges with pharmacy departments in Japan was performed. Syllabi for the 2024 academic year were retrieved from official websites and screened for the keyword "Primary care". Course type and syllabus components referencing PC were extracted. Of the 81 institutions, 63 (77.8%) had accessible syllabi. Among these, 49 (77.8%) included PC in ≥1 course(s), whereas 14 (22.2%) did not. The number of PC-related courses among institutions was as follows: national universities (n = 15); public universities (n = 3); and private universities (n = 154). Learning objectives were the most frequent syllabus component describing PC (≥50% across groups), whereas national and public universities more often included PC in course descriptions, and private universities in course schedules. 7 (14.3%) universities listed PC only in their practical training courses, underscoring the key role of preceptors in PC education. Despite national curricular guidelines, variations remain in the integration of PC education across Japanese pharmacy schools. Strengthening curriculum design, developing educational resources, and enhancing preceptor training may help advance PC education and prepare pharmacists for evolving community healthcare needs.