The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7281 p7
3/10 January 2004

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Teaching extemporaneous preparation is still important

Teaching extemporaneous preparation to pharmacy students is viewed as important within all schools of pharmacy, say the authors of a new study. This is despite their being little need for it in community practice.

Tanbira Chowdhury, School of Pharmacy, University of London, and colleagues collected information about pharmacy undergraduate courses in extemporaneous preparation and dispensing from all 16 schools of pharmacy operating in 2002–03.

They suggest that the importance given to extemporaneous preparation is due to additional skills being learnt. “Practical exercises in this area provide students with opportunities to perform pharmaceutical calculations and solve problems, emphasise the importance of accurate and systematic working practices and develop the concept of self-audit,” they say. The authors note that the Boots peppermint water case led most schools to changes extemporaneous preparation courses (Pharmacy Education 2003;3:229).