Pharmacy as a
Profession
ALB E RTA PHAR MACY STU D E NTS ’ AS S O C IATI O N
Melissa Woo
2014
PHARMACIST OVERVIEW
• What do pharmacists do?
• Where do pharmacists work?
• What characteristics make a good
pharmacist?
• What education do I need to
become a pharmacist?
• What happens once I am a
pharmacist?
2014
WHAT DO PHARMACISTS DO?
•
Ensure medication is appropriate
•
Whaa?
•
•
Take into account medical conditions, medications that
interact, size, age, lifestyle
Appropriate does not mean ensuring the medication is
correct because that is what the doctor ordered
•
Teach how to take medications, medical devices
•
Answer drug information questions
•
Manage chronic diseases (diabetes,
hypertension, asthma and many more)
•
Compound medications
2014
…MORE PHARMACISTS CAN DO!
• Work as a member of a healthcare
team
• Give injections
• Prescribe certain medications
• Manage pharmacies
• Work in research
• Teach community education classes
• Teach post-secondary students
EXAMPLES
• Figuring out whether the blood pressure medications
for Mr. Smith are appropriate based upon his blood
pressure and other health conditions
• Looking at a list of medications that a patient is on
and being able to assess whether all of them are
appropriate for the patient
• Look at how to deal with drug interactions or how to
manage side effects of a medication
2014
WHERE CAN A PHARMACIST WORK?
• Community pharmacies
• Hospitals
• Ambulatory clinics/Primary Care
Networks
• Drug Companies
• Government
• Research and Development
2014
• Insurance Companies
WHAT MAKES A GOOD PHARMACIST?
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Communication skills
•
Building relationships with patients
•
Efficient and organized
•
Leader
•
Good problem solver
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The drive to and motivation to help people
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Wanting to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life
•
Don’t be afraid to work in a pharmacy, shadow a pharmacist, talk to
a pharmacy student to see what it’s really like!
HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?
You can take these over a period of one to two years, but there is no time
requirement to take these courses.
1.CHEM 101 and 102
2.CHEM 164 (Need 90% or above in Chem 30) OR 261 and 263
3.Two of ENGL 121, 122, 123, 124 or 125
4.BIOL 107
5.BIOCH 200
6.MATH 113 or 114
7.STAT 141
2014
HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?
Don’t
just focus on one subject! Look at expanding
your education and learn about a variety of topics:
•Physiology
•Anatomy
•Microbiology
•Immunology &
•Pharmacology
•Psychology
•Economics
Infection
You never know what you are going to like!
2014
HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?
Applying to the Faculty
Apply with:
•University Transcript
•Application Form
•Letter of Intent
•Online Interview
•Pharmacist Consultation
Form
(Optional)
•No need to write the PCAT for the
University of Alberta
HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?
Applying to the Faculty
Letter of Intent Composition
1.Your
knowledge of the role of the pharmacist in the
health care system
2.Plans
if you don’t get accepted into the program
3.Volunteer
and relevant work experiences
4.Extracurricular
5.An
2014
activities
ethical question
More About Acceptance
•
Pharmacist consultation form
•
•
Letter of intent
•
•
•
2013
Strengthens application
FILL IN THE SPACE!
PROOF READ
SIGN
•
Overall GPA: Last two years of post-secondary fall and winter
•
Curriculum changing
ACCEPTANCE INFORMATION
•Quota: Accept 130 students every year
•Year 2013: 600, Year 2012: 575,Year 2011: 602
•Successful applicants from Alberta: 124/130
•Proportion of successful applicants with 1+ degrees: 30/130
•Competitive GPA: 3.5/4.0 (Will always change)
•Faculty looks at:
•Pre-requisite course GPA
•Overall GPA
•Letter of Intent
•Online interview
I’m In! Now What?
•
Year 1: General Courses (Anatomy, Medicinal Chemistry), One month
community rotation
•
Year 2: Heavy clinical courses (Cardiology, Nephrology, etc.), Law and
Ethics, two week hospital rotation
•
Year 3: More clinical courses, Business Management
•
Year 4: 16 week hospital and community rotation, and then pharmacy
related electives
Big Exams of the Program
•
End of 2nd and 3rd year: Cumulative exam of everything you have
learned to that point in the form of an OSCE* (patient interview style)
exam
•
End of 4th year: PEBC* exam (Licensing Exam), Ethics and
Jurisprudence Exam and OSCE.
•
Get licensed
Then you’re a pharmacist!
* Objective Structured Clinical Examinations
*Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada
Future Opportunities
 PharmD Program:
 First class starting in 2013
 Will become the entry level pharmacy program in the
future
 Obtain extensive clinical experience
 Pharmacy MBA Program:
 Obtain your MBA in one year
 Complete courses required in between your 3rd and 4th
year
2014
Being a Pharmacy Student
•
Have the opportunity to get involved with the community
•
Strong student body
•
Will get to know your entire class
• Pharmacy formal (Blue and Gold Ball), Mr. Pharmacy, Class BBQs
•
Travelling opportunities
Why Choose Pharmacy at the U of A?
2014
•
9 other Canadian Pharmacy Schools (UBC, U of S, U of M,
U of T, Waterloo, Montreal, Laval, Dalhousie, Memorial U)
•
More focus on practice courses
•
16 of last 18 exams, U of A has placed first (also, top student
in 12 of last 18)
•
Spin-off research companies (top in research & technology
transfer)
•
No PCAT
•
Professional/Social events (lots of fun!!!)
I’ve Graduated . . . Now What?
•
•
•
Wage: $36.31 to $66.00 an hour
New legislation gives prescribing
rights
Regulation of pharmacy technicians
will provide more time for
pharmacists to focus on patient
services
As of July 1st,2012 Compensation for
Pharmacy Services
2014
•
Shift of importance from drug distribution to patient services
•
Government compensating community pharmacies to provide
more clinical services
•
Annual Care plans ($100/review), Medication assessment
($60/ review), administer medications by injection
($20/day), adapt prescription ($20/ adaptation), prescription
renewal ($20/renewal)
•
Allows pharmacists to use their professional skills and
improves patient awareness of health services pharmacists
can provide
Contact Us
•
The Website: www.pharm.ualberta.ca
•
Rae Beaumont (Student Services Team Lead): phstud@ualberta.ca
•
Melissa Woo (Community Education Director) : woo2@ualberta.ca
REFERENCES
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http://www.pharmacy.ualberta.ca
https://pharmacists.ab.ca
http://www.trendsreport2003.com
Compensation for Pharmacy Services July 2012 - Alberta Health
High school presentation by Joey Ton
What questions do you have?