Inside Tomorrow's Pharmacist (2003)

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Taking flight

Taking flight by Pamela Mason (Editor of Tomorrow's Pharmacist)

A year ago a news feature in The Pharmaceutical Journal (PJ, 5/12 January 2002, p11) highlighted that today's pharmacy students — tomorrow's pharmacists — are keen to take on new roles. Conducting medication reviews, interacting with patients, working with health care professionals, pharmacist prescribing and diagnostic testing — the list your fellow students came up with will be no surprise. But how can you as a student make your voice heard and ensure that the profession is one in which in you can realise your dreams?

First, you can join the British Pharmaceutical Students' Association (BPSA), which represents students' views to the wider world of pharmacy and aims to provide tomorrow's pharmacists with an opportunity to develop a clear picture of their chosen profession. Secondly, you can get as much experience of pharmacy practice as possible by undertaking a variety of vacation placements as well as choosing and using your preregistration year wisely.

This, the fourth issue of Tomorrow's Pharmacist, which is financially supported by Lloydspharmacy, will help to give you a vision of both. You can find a description of the BPSA's activities on p32 and we have our usual variety of articles from students who have completed their preregistration year in different settings. The article on vacation work is there to help you to plan in some experience before the end of your time at university. If you are wondering how you will manage the nine till six — or later — routine, read the feature on making the transition into the world of work before you have to do it.

When you've qualified as a pharmacist you will be looking for your first post and the articles on career choices, getting your CV up to scratch and handling interviews provide some useful tips to help you get the job you really want. And for those of you are interested in working outside of community or hospital pharmacy, we have a view from a practice pharmacist in Scotland. If you want to go further afield, don't miss the excellent article on working abroad, which has lots of useful tips to get you started, and for some first hand experience in Africa, read about one pharmacist's work with VSO.

However, we haven't forgotten that most of you are students, so there is plenty of practical guidance on studying — both now and in the future — preparing for exams, managing stress and money, and giving presentations.

We hope you enjoy this issue, and would welcome any feedback, as well as your thoughts on what you would like to see in future issues.