How to become a pharmacist…… the Accreditation Standards were published by the Australian Pharmacy Council in 2009, and The National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia was released in 2010. And wow…. talk about in-depth documents!! It’s probably easiest if you check them out yourself, but let’s talk about some of the more interesting points…..

To become a pharmacist in Australia, graduates need to have developed these skills (plus many more) during the course and intern program:

1. Cultural understanding: an understanding of cultural diversity and an ability to put aside assumptions and personal paradigms in their professional dealings with patients from diverse backgrounds
2. Lifelong learning: a commitment to lifelong learning, with the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills
3. Recognition of limitations: the ability to work within the scope of pharmaceutical practice and personal limitations
4. Teamwork: the ability to work effectively as both a team member and team leader
5. Pharmacy-specific knowledge and skills: including the ability to calculate medicine doses accurately, safely and legally handle chemical and pharmaceutical materials, dispense medicines safely and legally, advise patients and other health professionals on medicine and their use, recognise, prevent and manage adverse events.

There are a lot of skills that a pharmacist requires above and beyond the technical aspects of the profession…..

If you choose to become a pharmacist, you will need to be able to work with the customers, staff and suppliers if you are in a community pharmacy, and the patients and other health professionals in a hospital setting. Australia is known to be multi-cultural, and you may find yourself in situations where you need to put your personal views aside when dealing with a customer or patient. And don’t just think that you will graduate from the university course and know everything you will need for your entire career…. new medications are produced regularly, and you will need to keep up!!

So be prepared for all the aspects of what a future in pharmacy might hold!!

Image: g_kat26 on flickr