THE Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) is keen to provide a vision to the profession of what career paths are available now and in the future.
Speaking to Pharmacy Daily President Tom Simpson (pictured), said he is presenting, alongside some early career pharmacists in hospital pharmacy, at the Pharmacy Careers Summit on 07 Jul, HERE, to show how hospital pharmacy internships and residencies "opens doors to rewarding careers".
"Having overseen the training of hundreds of interns, I know how vital it is for early career pharmacists to gain the best and broadest foundation of practice, on which a rewarding and varied career can be built," Simpson said.
This foundation extends beyond the intern year into residency programs, which now include both generalist and specialist pathways, and draws on the communities of practice that SHPA offers through training programs and speciality practice networks, he explained.
"I believe the most important thing to know for pharmacists looking to enter the workforce or seeking a new direction, which we'll discuss at the Pharmacy Careers Summit, is that hospital-informed experience is a passport to broad career options.
"It introduces you to team-based care and multidisciplinary collaboration, which is the future of healthcare.
"Our medical and nursing colleagues must practice in hospital settings before embarking on careers in general or specialist practice," Simpson shared.
"Hospital practice allows you to work as a member of a team with the practitioners who make up the medicines ecosystem in which you will spend the rest of your career."
The Pharmacy Careers Summit offers a great format to engage with early career pharmacists, reflecting on their paths out of university.
"I encourage attendees to explore SHPA's information in the virtual hall to help them determine their next career steps.
"While it is a challenging time in pharmacy broadly, there are also great opportunities for pharmacists in emerging practice areas.
"Medicines are the number one treatment intervention and, as hospital services grow in complexity, beyond traditional boundaries, pharmacists have an essential role to play in new virtual and collaborative care positions," Simpson concluded.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 23 Jun 23
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