KEY POINTS:
Qualification: Bachelor of Pharmacy
Where: School of Pharmacy, University of Auckland,
Course dates: Late February to mid-November.
Applications: Close November 1.
Duration: Four years at university plus one year of pre-registration training
Contact: Ph 373 7599, extensions 86260 or 87738, email enquiries@auckland.ac.nz, website fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/sop.
Course cost: Approx $5000 - $6000.
Course numbers: Limited to 100.
Prerequisites: Minimum age 17. Students should have a strong science background and chemistry and biology are stipulated NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent) subjects. Other maths or sciences courses are useful. A high standard of proficiency in written and spoken English is essential. Other important attributes are high ethical standards, accuracy, empathy, and a commitment to life-long learning.
Courses: About 20 contact hours a week
Starting salary: Interns approx $30,000, registered pharmacists $50,000 to $60,000.
Career prospects: Community and hospitable pharmacists, specialists in medicines information, paediatrics or mental health. Exciting opportunities include prescribing advisers, medical publishing, pharmacy education, research scientists in the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory affairs, government policy advisers, and medication review consultants. There is a worldwide shortage of pharmacists and many graduates head overseas. There is reciprocal registration in Australia.
Pharmacists are at the frontline of healthcare especially community pharmacists who are the health professionals the general public sees most often.
Auckland University's Bachelor of Pharmacy is a four-year degree preparing graduates to enter the pre-registration training year (internship) that leads to registration as a pharmacist with the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand.
The degree prepares students to become "medicines experts", says Professor John Shaw, head of the School of Pharmacy. "The popular view of pharmacy is that pharmacists are dispensers and sellers of medicines. The pharmacist's job is to ensure that patients get the maximum benefit from any medicines that they take, including self-medication.
"Most modern medicines are powerful and can be harmful if used inappropriately, so the pharmacist must check that the patient gets the right dose for their condition, that there are no interactions with other medicines, and that the patient understands the effects of their medicines and how to take them correctly."
With traditional roles in the community and hospitals, pharmacists are assuming new roles and responsibilities, such as health promotion, screening and referral, medication review, patient education, advice to prescribers, and in some countries even a prescribing role. Pharmacy undergraduate education is constantly changing and preparing graduates for traditional and new roles.
The degree covers basic and applied sciences such as chemistry, biology, microbiology, pharmacology, pharmaceutics and pathology, to behavioural sciences, population health, communication, pharmacy practice, therapeutics, law, ethics and management. There is an emphasis on research, problem-solving and information technology.
It is a demanding course and students need to be committed to their studies. The upside is that the degree leads to a health professional qualification in high demand worldwide.
THE GRADUATE
Amy Chan, age 22
Intern pharmacist
Auckland District Health Board, Department of Pharmacy. Graduated May 2008
I wanted to be in the pharmacy profession as I had an interest in biology, chemistry and healthcare at school and wanted a profession where I could help others and have people contact. I was interested in the drug treatment side of healthcare.
The University of Auckland School of Pharmacy programme is a well-structured programme and allowed me to learn about pharmacy practice issues right from the start to build up a good knowledge base.
I am completing my internship year at the Auckland City Hospital in-patient pharmacy, so my daily work varies depending on the rotation that I am in. At the moment I am in my dispensary rotation, so a typical day involves clinically checking in-patient charts as they come through to dispensary, then talking with a pharmacist. This process involves checking for safety and appropriateness of the chart. Other duties include checking dispensed items, compounding certain medications, following up queries of drug charts with the ward or other qualities and dealing with phone queries from hospital staff. I also work on my research project as part of the Auckland City Hospital intern programme.
THE MANAGER
Kim Brackley
Principal, pharmacist education and trainingAuckland District Health Board, Department of Pharmacy
Amy was a bright student who performed extremely well at interview. She had undertaken a summer studentship at ADHB and we had been impressed with her. Amy is very capable academically plus has assertive communication skills, self-confidence, works well, works independently and as part of a team. Amy shows initiative and is someone who comes to you with solutions not just the problems.
Amy's job this year is as an intern pharmacist. The purpose of the intern year is to learn to apply the knowledge gained at university, to become a safe, effective practising pharmacist. ADHB has a robust structured intern training programme which requires the interns to be self-directed in their learning.
They are set a range of learning outcomes to achieve in each area they train in and are expected to work independently (with supervision and support) to achieve these within the time allotted.
