PHARMACY students should be required to undertake at least a three week hospital placement in the third or fourth year of their degree, according to a new position statement from The National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association this week.
Issued in conjunction with the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, the statement notes that while hospital pharmacy is a desirable career pathway for a large number of pharmacy students across Australia, six out of the nineteen Australian universities offering pharmacy degrees do not have any compulsory hospital placement in their curriculum.
"Further to this, a large percentage of students at these universities would like to participate in a hospital placement but do not have the opportunity to do so before their intern year".
Moreover a recent NAPSA survey found over 35% of current Australian pharmacy students believe their preparation through uni to work in a hospital pharmacy setting "needs improvement".
NAPSA and the SHPA said exposure to hospital pharmacy through placement "is necessary for students to get a more comprehensive view of the healthcare system, leading to better-rounded graduates in the profession".
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