Shutterstock.com
All pharmacy students should be taught prescribing skills as a core part of their MPharm degree and be exposed to real-life clinical settings from their first year, according to a new report, which sets out pharmacy students’ aspirations and expectations for the future.
The 17-strong list in ‘Aspirations and expectations of pharmacy students – a view to the future’ is based on the results of a British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA) survey of students at all pharmacy schools in Great Britain between September 2016 and November 2016.
There were 1,374 responses to the questionnaire, which quizzed students about their professional hopes for the future and the direction of travel for pharmacy.
The students’ expectations include greater interprofessional learning opportunities during their studies so that multi-disciplinary working becomes routine. They also want pharmaceutical expertise to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across all care settings.
The document, published on 17 April 2017, says it is crucial that the student voice is heard to help improve the degree programme, as well as developing the role of the pharmacist.
The BPSA, which represents pharmacy students and preregistration trainee pharmacists across the UK, says its intention is to circulate its report as widely as possible to ensure that the views of students are taken into account by policy makers and others with influence.
In a statement, the BPSA said: “Students, preregistration trainees and newly qualified pharmacists must be included in decision-making when setting the course for the future.”
