Pharmacy Daily | Intern programs approved

THE Pharmacy Board of Australia has given formal approval to two pharmacy Intern Training Programs as part of the accreditation process under the new National Scheme. The Australian Pharmacy Council, in its capacity as independent accreditation body for the Board, has given the nod to programs from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and also the university group, the National Alliance for Pharmacy Education. The PSA said its program isdesigned to smooth the transition between student life and professional pharmacy practice. According to The PSA, “the NITP is especially relevant under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) which requires registration nationally instead of pharmacists registering in each state individually”. Combining discussion on state and national issues, with interactive workshops and work-based activities, the program aims to utilise and expand on pharmacists’ skills and knowledge in practice. “PSA recommends students consider the course and the provider that is best going to assist them with their career in the short and long term and that should be with the organisation that best helps them develop as a pharmacist,” a statement added. “A great strength of the NITP prorgram is that it is delivered by the PSA, the professional organisation representing the professional interests of pharmacists and the practice of pharmacy wherever pharmacists work in supporting the Australian health-care system”. MEANWHILE the the Pharmacy Internship Training Program offered by the new National Alliance for Pharmacy Education has also been accredited. The alliance was formed earlier in the year by Monash University, The University of Queensland, University of South Australia and The University of Sydney. The group said students enrolling in the NAPE program will be assisted in their journey by a range of “experienced educators and pharmacists, practising in a variety of settings”. The program is designed with flexibility in mind, and utilises online, face to face and self directed modes of education. According to the NAPE, the course also “allows interns to easily access their coursework irrespective of their location and to balance study with their work and personal lives”. The program can also be used as a stepping stone to a a graduate certificate of pharmacy practice, should students choose to complete an additional year of part-time study at the completion of their intern year. “We believe that ready access to cutting edge university postgraduate award courses, including intern training programs, is crucial for pharmacists as they contribute to and enhance health care delivery in Australia,” said Prof Bill Charman, Chair of NAPE. “Our program uniquely combines the best aspects of an academic award, with a contemporary practice focus and delivery by experienced practising pharmacists,” he added.

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