After a long four months off for summer, I have finally started my fourth and final year at university.

During this first semester, I will be focused on undertaking my master’s project. I have chosen a project with a tutor that has an interest in skin. As a group, we’ll be looking at the safety of different chemicals that are components in the cosmetics and beauty products that we put on our skin every day.

Not only do we have to complete our master’s project this semester, but we also have to undertake an online course where we are being introduced to pharmacist prescribing. 

Prescribing is one of the many ways the profession is evolving to meet the expanded role of pharmacists, and many pharmacists have now qualified as independent prescribers – where they are able to prescribe for conditions within their clinical competence.

The aim of this unit is to give an insight and to develop our skills and knowledge into different aspects of prescribing. For most of our undergraduate course, we only look at the prescription once it has been written. So it’s quite interesting to look at the prescription from the point of view of the prescriber, and to understand what they have to consider when choosing if, and what, to prescribe. There are many factors to consider, such as national guidelines, the patient’s own views and local formularies.

Calling myself a final-year student sounds exceptionally scary. I really don’t know where the last few years have gone. I feel that they have flown by, although they do say time flies when you’re having fun. 

A lot of my school friends have graduated after three years in university, and since then they have been applying for jobs in various sectors. Some have been successful and some are still searching and applying, so it’s comforting to know that next August I will be starting my pre-registration programme.