The University of Suffolk (UoS) has partnered with local pharmacy chain G.M. Graham Pharmacies to provide placements for students on its upcoming pharmacy course.
The university said the first students for the new four-year Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) course, which commences next September, will “carry out approximately 70 days of placements” as part of their learning.
It added the agreement with G.M. Graham Pharmacies “will open the door” for students to “gain valuable applied experience” - including providing vaccinations, blood pressure monitoring, prescribing consultations, and the Pharmacy First Service.
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And the pharmacy chain’s staff are also involved in developing the curriculum for the course, the university said, ensuring that students “gain insights into future practice based on real-life scenarios”.
Work on the university’s new pharmacy facilities - which include a clinical skills suite, a mock dispensary and specialist labs - is already underway and supported by a £457,600 grant from higher education regulator Office for Students.
Meaningful opportunities
UoS’s head of pharmacy Dr Georgina Marsh said “practical, hands-on experience in community pharmacy will be a vital part” of students’ learning and development as the sector “delivers an expanding range of enhanced clinical services”.
She added that the university is “delighted to partner with G.M. Graham Pharmacies” to offer students “meaningful patient-facing opportunities”.
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G.M. Graham Pharmacies director Junchao Jiang said the chain has “really enjoyed being involved in the early stages” of the university’s pharmacy course and “contributing to the curriculum and placement plans”.
“We’ve hosted foundation trainee pharmacists for more than 15 years and supporting both trainees and students is something we truly value,” he added.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to play a part in their learning, confidence and professional growth.”
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It comes after the UoS announced earlier this year that it will offer a new pharmacy degree from next September to help address the industry’s “skills shortage”.
The university said at the time that the new course “marks the latest step” in the UoS’s work to tackle “skills shortages in key industries in the region”.
