Focus on Allied Health- Pharmacy Becoming a Pharmacist In Australia there are 3 main steps to become a pharmacist. 1. Complete an accredited university degree 2. Complete an intern training program and supervised practice period (12 months) 3. Pass the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s registration exam (comprised of written & oral exams) Pharmacy degrees in Australia were traditionally a four-year undergraduate Bachelor degree. There are now more options available including post-graduate Masters degrees and combined Bachelors and Masters degrees, which can take up to six years. Overseas qualified pharmacists are required to pass an examination conducted under the auspices of the Australian Pharmacy Council. Successful candidates are then required to complete a period of supervised practice assigned to them by the Pharmacy Board of Australia. Every year Ryde Hospital Pharmacy shares the responsibility with RNSH Pharmacy to supervise the practice of two Pharmacy Interns. These positions are 12-month, temporary contract positions which candidates must apply for in a competitive interview process. These positions are highly sort after as they provide an intense, high-quality training experience and set these intern pharmacists up with the skills to be competent and highly employable pharmacists. Our training program has the added advantage of giving these intern pharmacists experience at both a smaller metropolitan hospital (Ryde) and then the large tertiary referral hospital (RNSH). The interns apply the knowledge gained during academic studies to pharmacy practice under the supervision of a pharmacist. An approved preceptor is a pharmacist who has been approved by the Pharmacy Board and is responsible for the overall supervision of the pharmacist. Day to day supervision can be delegated to other suitably qualified pharmacists. The interns at Ryde and RNSH attend fortnightly tutorials, attend continuing education sessions, visit specialised centres such as VAD, D&A, and attend and present and various committees such as the NSLHD Drug and Therapeutic Committee. This is an addition to the requirements of their intern training
program which is administered separately. It is a busy year for the interns! This year our pharmacist interns are Bella Ianni (left) and Yasmin Dowd (right).
They rotate every 3 months between Ryde and RNSH. You will find them in the dispensary and accompanying the ward pharmacists, learning, and practicing under supervision. Please say hello and at the end of the year wish them good luck with their exams!
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