| · Drug administration
· National boards
· Controlled drugs
· The Society
· Supermarket pharmacy (2)
· Birdsgrove House (2)
· New pharmacy contract (2)
· Prescribing
· Education
Letters to the Editor
|
Education
Overhaul of the MPharm degree
From Miss S. W. Yee, MRPharmS
I read about the motion (PDF 120K) to overhaul the MPharm degree (PJ,
11 June, p722) with concern and would like to add my comments.
I qualified as a pharmacist in 2002 after completing my MPharm degree in
2001. I decided in the first year of my degree that I would like to pursue
a career in scientific research, as I enjoyed the lectures on complex reaction
mechanisms and scientific research methods and technologies. I do not think
that the MPharm degree lacks management and leadership training. In fact,
all these skills are retaught during preregistration training days either
in community, hospital or industry.
The MPharm degree covers a broad scientific area; I am now able to communicate
with scientists from different backgrounds, ranging from chemistry to molecular
biology. In my opinion, our degree has advantages over the others, as we
understand the scientific background as well as about patient care and
clinical practice as well.
I have known many pharmacists from other continents who have told me that
they have to undergo much longer studies and that their degrees cover a
greater amount of scientific background, before they branch into clinical
and management training.
One change I do believe would make a difference would be incorporating
more elective modules into the MPharm course rather than leaving it to
only the final year of the degree for students to choose their area of
research.
It is impossible to teach a pharmacy student everything under the sun.
One can always pick up new experience and knowledge from the daily work
environment and, therefore, I guess that is where continuing professional
development comes into action.
Sook-Wah Yee
Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal