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· Registration examination (2)
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Letters to the Editor
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Registration examination
Defending the Society's system
From Mr D. J. Livingstone, MRPharmS
Regular readers of The Journal will be aware that I am one of the more
vociferous critics of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s policy.
It will therefore no doubt come as a shock to them that I feel obliged
to defend the policy of the Society regarding the registration examination.
When the examination was introduced in 1993, I had many reservations,
but now believe that the Society is correct to use a system outwith the
undergraduate degree course to augment the registration process.
I have been involved in undergraduate pharmacy teaching and preregistration
training for 16 years and it is clearly not the role of academic establishments
to set standards of professional practice or to protect the public. The
content and standards of undergraduate teaching are inevitably variable
within and between schools of pharmacy. A student may graduate with an
average mark — after repeated takes of 40 per cent. The registration
examination is the only examination which all pharmacy graduates have
to undertake and has a uniform format.
Having scrutinised registration examination question papers and in particular
the calculations section which we are informed is the greatest area of
failure, I have concluded that any individual with a good GCSE or equivalent
in mathematics should be able to reach the required standard.
Farah Zaidi (PJ, 13 August, p193) complains of “narrow-minded” rules.
Perhaps she (unlike me) has no concerns about employing or being under
the care of a pharmacist who, despite numerous failures, eventually got
lucky and passed the examination. I agree that three attempts is an arbitrary
number, but what would she suggest is appropriate — 30, 300? As
to the issue of “ruined” lives, those entering the undergraduate
course over the past decade will or should have been aware of the examination
before commencing their university studies. To cry “foul” after
repeated failure some years later is a bit rich.
Far from being anachronistic, I believe that an examination can only
assist in ensuring public confidence in the profession. The format of
the examination may be less than perfect, but at the moment it is the
best that can be reasonably delivered to more than 1,000 entrants per
annum.
Duncan Livingstone
North Lancing,
West Sussex
“Three strikes and you’re out” rule
From Mr J. R. M. Edmunds, MRPharmS
As a retired non-practising pharmacist I have been following the correspondence
on the “irrational three strikes rule” (Listening
Friend,
PJ, 20 August, p226). As a pharmacist without any personal or hidden
agenda may I add my support to those who are affected by this rule.
It is indeed non-rational in my opinion, effectively to exclude these
unfortunate potentially valuable members of the profession from the Register
for life. Surely if they were capable of passing a most testing final
examination to graduate, they must be capable of eventually practising
as pharmacists. They should be permitted to sit the registration examination
as many times as needed to ensure their eventual success, and this without
prejudice to their final professional standing. One needs to appreciate
that these graduates have spent a number of years at university and at
considerable cost to the taxpayer, with the intention of them eventually
making a contribution to the country, based on the value of their qualification,
from the aspects of both service to the community and taxation. Furthermore,
I would assume that many will, due to ineligibility for registration,
be hard pressed to pay back their substantial loans incurred during their
student days.
I voted for a number of “Save our Society” candidates at
the last Council election, having been impressed by their stated concern
for the Society. In my opinion they are now placed in a position to demonstrate
their concern for aspirant members of the profession by attending to,
and righting, this wrong. To guarantee my vote in the next election,
candidates will need to include this issue in their electioneering manifestos.
To those graduates that are affected, may I suggest that you consider
joining the pharmaceutical industry. Your qualifications will be welcomed
and you are very likely to find a satisfying career in one of the
many and varied opportunities offered. I spent 40 years of great personal
and professional satisfaction working in industry and would recommend
it, not only to those who cannot register, but to those who can.
John Edmunds
Tring,
Hertfordshire
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