Grads ‘not fully competent’

This is not much of an endorsement of new pharmacy graduates...

From the Irish Medical News:
Pharmacy graduates are only 60 per cent competent one year after graduating from university, according to Prof Ian Bates, School of Pharmacy, University of London, who spoke at the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) council meeting held at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) last week.

Prof Bates suggested that there is a mismatch with what graduates think they should learn and what they need to learn. He also stated that the learning experience of pharmacy students across the world in countries such as Bangladesh, Canada, the UK, Switzerland and Japan vary from one another even though they should be showing similar trends.

The need for “life-long learning” among pharmacists is critical to a sturdy pharmacy service in Ireland, he said. The Pharmacy Act of 2007 allows for continued professional development and competence to be upheld in Ireland. ...more