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Letters to the Editor
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Registration examination
Build a portfolio of evidence instead of examination
From Ms H. Badham
I am a current preregistration trainee. I support the need for a review
of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s registration examination,
not because I will sit it this June, but for the following reasons.
The number of preregistration places has decreased in the past few years.
As more schools of pharmacy are founded, the number of preregistration
places available will, ultimately, limit the number of registering pharmacists.
Therefore, a review of the training year is essential to ensure high
standards of registration with a practical solution to the many issues
surrounding the preregistration year.
During my hospital training I have taken the opportunity to discuss and
compare the pharmacy qualification process to that of numerous other
health professionals. I have discovered that, aside from the registration
exam, other professions have a more integrative programme of learning
for practice with their undergraduate studies, such as dietitians have
four, 13 and 31 weeks of training throughout their first, second and
third years. Within pharmacy, the Society requires that all undergraduates
must have some community and hospital experience. However, this can vary
from two-and-a-half days to two weeks depending on the university (excluding
Bradford). The possibility of students working in a pharmacy during their
summer holidays cannot be relied upon to address this imbalance in practical
experience.
Therefore, I suggest that the registration examination should be reviewed
alongside work experience placements during university. This would provide
a greater structure, integration and consistency to learning. Additionally
I believe that local resources, such as primary care trusts, Society
inspectors and local branches are underused with regard to undergraduate
training and could be involved to increase the innovation of learning.
Students could, therefore, build a portfolio of evidence for registration
from university and the preregistration year to demonstrate a greater
level of professional development that may overcome the need for a registration
examination.
Helen Badham
Preregistration trainee
Sheffield
Calculators should be allowed
From Mr A. J. Young, MRPharmS
I am writing in agreement with letters published over the past few months
criticising the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s registration examination.
Although I agree that candidates must prove that they are competent enough
to join the profession, I do not believe that the current format demonstrates
this competence.
The examination has been changed so that candidates must pass the calculations
section. This is fine except that calculators are not allowed. Why is this?
Surely passing three or four
A-levels and then a four-year degree is adequate enough to prove competence
in calculations. Throughout school and university, students are taught
and encouraged to use calculators and then are expected suddenly to change
and do calculations in their heads during a highly pressured examination.
In my view, it highlights a severe problem with the undergraduate training
if a student who has a first-class honours degree is worried about failing
the calculations (PJ, 20 November 2004, p748)? I ask the Society to consider
changing with the times and allowing the use of calculators.
Anthony Young
Newcastle Upon Tyne |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal