PLANS to roll out a 'fast-tracked' version of the University of Tasmania's (UTAS) Bachelor of Pharmacy degree (BPharm) on two regional campuses, could ease workforce shortages, Pharmacy Guild of Australia Tasmanian Branch President, Helen O'Byrne, believes.
O'Byrne said the program, which will be offered at the university's Launceston and Cradle Coast (Burnie) campuses, would mean students would no longer have to relocate to Hobart to study pharmacy.
"This is a great option for young people from the Launceston and North West Coast regions who want to study pharmacy, to pursue their chosen career without needing to move to Hobart", she said.
"Ease of access is a major issue for young people and their families when considering university course options.
"Having a course available close to home makes the choice so much easier for students and their parents, particularly when the cost of accommodation and living expenses does not have to be factored in.
"As pharmacy owners we are actually aware of the current difficulty in finding pharmacist staff.
"Making the degree accessible closer to home for students, will help to fill the shortage in the pharmacist workforce across Australia in the future.
"It's an exciting time to be in pharmacy -- there are so many more opportunities for pharmacists to be practising at their full scope in many varied settings, including community pharmacy, hospitals, aged care and policy roles."
O'Byrne, who owns a pharmacy in Launceston, said community pharmacies in the city would support students in gaining experience in the sector.
"Our Launceston pharmacy community would be very interested in supporting students with part-time jobs," she said.
"We know that this 'on the job' experience is invaluable to students' learning, and they may even decide to stay on for their intern year and beyond."
The fact-tracked program will be run over trimesters, rather than mirroring the four-year BPharm course provided in Hobart, effectively doing away with the lengthy 'summer break'.
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