AUSTRALIAN pharmacy students may one day earn the title 'Doctor' under plans revealed in the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (PD 23 Jun).
But for the time being they will continue to endure slights and barbs suggesting they are in some way failed medical students, rather than highly skilled health professionals.
Somewhat disillusioned by such comments, downtrodden British pharmacist, Laura Buckley, took to Twitter to pose the question:
"How can I expect the general public to have respect for pharmacy as a profession when my own mother introduces me to people with the line, 'she could have been a doctor but chose pharmacy instead'?"
Responses varied, with International Pharmaceutical Federation Vice President, Ash Soni, suggesting Buckley should finish her mother's sentence by adding, "because it's a better choice".
However, the most compelling response came from a Dutch pharmacist with the Twitter handle, @Pharmacor, who said, "Remember, doctors are former pharmacy students that failed their first year at university".
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