The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 264 No 7084 p294
February 19, Letters

Preregistration year

Shared experience

From Mr F. Awodiya

SIR,—With the recent introduction of the four-year pharmacy degree programme and expected role of future pharmacists, I think it is about time the Society made joint placement in both the hospital and community settings compulsory in the preregistration year.
This, I believe, would be of benefit in the following areas:

• Newly qualified pharmacists would be able to see and appreciate what went on in both settings, instead of being expert in one and ignorant of the other
• Transfer of knowledge and manpower would be encouraged between the two sectors

This, hopefully, would help address the problem of manpower shortage being experienced in the hospital sector, and give the added advantage of flexibility (ie, not being restricted into a sector).

Fola Awodiya
School of Pharmacy, University of London

The Council has agreed in principle that the requirements for the preregistration year should be changed so that all trainees should spend some time in both hospital and community pharmacy (PJ, October 16, 1999, p632). The Preregistration Advisory Group is drawing up guidelines (PJ, February 12, p251).—EDITOR.