PowerPoint to help students understand regulation of pharmacists

14 Apr 2016

The path from study to a career in pharmacy and the requirements for registration are now explained in a PowerPoint.

Developed for pharmacy students, the PowerPoint has been published today by the Pharmacy Board of Australia (the Board).

Board Chair William Kelly said that sometimes it’s not until a final-year student starts thinking about their transition to work that they realise being a pharmacist requires more than just completing an approved program of study.

‘As one of the 14 regulated health professions in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme) a pharmacist must be registered with the Pharmacy Board before they can start practising,’ he said.

‘That means meeting mandatory registration standards and, for a graduate, completing a period of supervised practice before being eligible to apply for general registration.’

Mr Kelly said public safety was at the core of the Board’s work to ensure that only suitably trained and qualified pharmacists are registered.

‘The PowerPoint outlines what the Board does, what registration means and how the profession is regulated under the National Scheme,’ he said.

Information about Board guidance for safe and effective practice and the role of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is also explained.

‘A pharmacist is held to account against the Board’s standards, guidelines and Code of conduct if the Board receives a notification about the pharmacist’s performance, conduct or health,’ Mr Kelly said.

‘It’s important that a graduate clearly understands what it means to be registered and what their obligations are when seeking initial registration and throughout their career as a pharmacist.’

The PowerPoint in published on the Student registration section of the Board’s website.

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