Improving Employability:
Enhancement of Core Skills and
Professionalism within the
Pharmacy MPharm Degree
Results and Perspective of a TQEF
Project in the School of Pharmacy
Chris Scott, Senior Tutor
Undergraduate Program in
School of Pharmacy
• Single UG course
– MPharm degree
• 4 year program
• 1 year pre-registration (organised by Pharmaceutical Society
of Northern Ireland)
– Approx 140-150 students per year group
– Staff-student contact is substantial
• Practicals, practical demonstrations (dispensing, responding
to symptoms), tutorials
Challenges Faced
• Large body of students to look after
• Although academically excellent, many
students may have employability issues
• Development of key skills and professionalism
upon exit of university system?
Skills
Development
Module
Personal
Development
Planning
Personal
Tutors
Tools/systems in place
already within the
School of Pharmacy
Advisor of
Studies
Work
Placements
Skills
Development
Module
Personal
Development
Planning
Personal
Tutors
Improve Employability
of Pharmacy graduates
Advisor of
Studies
Work
Placements
Goals of TQEF Project
• Pilot scheme within the school to develop a
central monitoring system to ensure
professionalism and core skill development
• Integration of existing resources to deliver this
Student Opinions – Focus Groups
• Organised by Sharon Haughey, School of
Pharmacy
• Asked students about their perceptions of the
degree, skills development, work placements
and PDP
Focus Group Results
• Students thought that the degree program was
intense
• Students felt that the skills training in L1 was
useful to bring all students up to speed
• Students confused by PDP
• Students unclear of the role of tutors
Staff Views
• Busy schedule
– No more please!
• Varying opinions on the tutoring system and
PDP
– their usefulness and role of staff member
Kick-starting the TQEF Project
• Overhaul of the application of tutoring and
PDP application in the school
• The fact that the TQEF was awarded to us,
highlighted what we were doing and its
announcement at school board etc., helped
gain staff support going forward
MPharm Degree Progression
Continual monitoring of key practicals/tutorials/work
placement data across degree for each skill
Identification of ‘at risk’ students in each skill
Student-led development of identified skills
Initial Achievements
• Set up of structures and reporting system to highlight ‘at risk’ students to
myself
– I arrange tutor meeting with student and provide guidance to tutor on
setting/doing/reflecting goals for the student to undertake
– TQEF support gave me time to undertake this
• Design and implementation of professionalism questionnaire for
placement facilitators in L1
– TQEF support needed to mail information and materials to facilitators across
pharmacy shops in NI
Initial Achievements
• Set up of structures and reporting system to highlight ‘at risk’ students to
myself
– I arrange tutor meeting with student and provide guidance to tutor on
setting/doing/reflecting goals for the student to undertake
– TQEF support gave me time to undertake this
• Design and implementation of professionalism questionnaire for
placement facilitators in L1
– TQEF support needed to mail information and materials to facilitators across
pharmacy shops in NI
• Design and introduction of a new L1 ‘Introduction to Pharmacy Skills’
Module
– Further emphasis on career skills
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction of CV workshop
Introduction of pharmacy work experience earlier
Introduction of career professionalism – requirements, do’s and don’ts
Introduction of a revamped PDP workshop to L1 pharmacy students
Introduction of learning diaries for work placements – reflection on what have learnt on
the career
But then…..
• Roll-out of the University Personal Tutoring
Guidelines
• We felt that a lot of the our TQEF project was line
with what the university wanted from personal
tutoring service
• Perhaps ‘watered-down’ the impact of the TQEF
project
– But allowed almost seamless integration of new
university requirements
Personal Tutoring At Pharmacy
• Senior Tutor
– Was designated as an individual post within the
school; with myself in post
• Led team within Education committee to produce
working guidelines within School on the basis of
university blueprint
• Central to this was the integration of the aims of
the TQEF project
Current Setup – holistic training
Student Entry
Module
coordinators
and course
delivery
teams
Academic Attainment
Advisor of
Studies
Personal
Tutoring
System
Pharmacy
Practise
Tutors
Professionalism and Skills monitoring
Senior Tutor
Graduate exit with
MPharm qualification
Dealing with ‘at risk’ students
Failed
Module
Skill
Deficiency
General
Discipline
Senior
Tutor
Personal
Tutor
Professionalism
deficiency
Implementation of TQEF Goals and
Personal Tutoring is an on-going
project!!
• Want to roll out to L2
– Particularly professionalism questionnaire to
clinical and community work placements
– This involves consultation with practitioners
• Current Hurdles
– Current re-structuring of MPharm degree
What have been the main benefits of
TQEF funding?
• Gave me time and clerical assistance to
organise the systems
• Provided assistance to attend a national PDP
conference
• Gave the project emphasis within the school
Thank you!
Any Questions?