The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7258 p95
19 July 2003

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Covers examination information as well as the perils and pitfalls of the preregistration year

'Pharmacy preregistration handbook: a survival guide', 2nd edition, by Lindsay M. Taylor. Pp xi+213. Price £24.95. London: Pharmaceutical Press; 2002. ISBN 0 85369 513 X

For a graduate fresh out of university the preregistration year can be something of a culture shock. Fortunately there is a source of help in the form of this book. The author is a former university teacher-practitioner who has been pivotal in the implementation and delivery of the preregistration programme for a major pharmacy multiple. This gives a good basis for writing such a handbook.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the handbook covers the preregistration syllabus and the examination. Not only are there sample questions to practise but the format of the examination papers, style of the questions and various strategies to help cope with examination pressures and time constraints are discussed in some detail. Hints and tips on revision and what do to both before and after the examination are covered as well.

A hefty section of the book is devoted to calculations, that part of the examination guaranteed to bring nightmares to many. Unlike some publications aimed at preregistration trainees, the handbook does attempt to explain why calculations are so important and why it is essential to be able to perform them without the use of a calculator. A key point is encouraging a "sense of number": that aspect of mental arithmetic that allows manipulation of numbers quickly and accurately.

Although the examination is the finale of the preregistration year, many graduates often overlook the fact that it is only one small part of 12 months of learning and training. Quite rightly, the first chapter covers the basics from filling in the required forms and paperwork to the best ways of gathering evidence to cover performance criteria. The tutor-trainee relationship is covered in detail as is the preferred learning style of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society preregistration handbooks, which can be quite new to some graduates. Possibly one of the most useful parts of the chapter is the frequently asked questions section which deal with those niggling doubts and worries about which many graduates are concerned before starting the preregistration year.

The only drawback to the book is the danger that a lot of the material is likely to go out of date fairly quickly. However, the fact that this book is already in its second edition shows that the author is aware of this.

With constant reference to the primary sources used in the preregistration year, the 'Pharmacy preregistration handbook' is a useful, if not vital, additional source of information. Covering the perils and pitfalls of the year as well as extensive information about the examination, this book comes highly recommended for both preregistration trainees and tutors alike.

Andy Christopherson

Andy Christopherson is outgoing president of the British Pharmaceutical Students Association