SEPTEMBER,Edition # 33, 2001

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Editor's Note:
Simon is a final year pharmacy student and is set to graduate from Sydney University at the end of this year. He has an enquiring mind and was one of two students willing to do work experience in setting up the new Tiwi Island aboriginal pharmacy. Not afraid of hard work, nor worried about getting his hands dirty, he does have high standards and expectations of community pharmacy.
He has an interest in complementary medicine and forward pharmacy.
His preference is to be located in a rural environment for his pre-registration year.
Sounds to me he would make a good investment for any rural community pharmacist willing to take a punt on such good raw material.
Simon has already displayed good writing skills, and has been asked to be a regular contributor to the newsletter.
What do you think of his current article as a clever PR exercise for a job application?
If you like it, rise to the challenge and follow up his details at

"It is interesting to hear my fellow final year students discussing their basis for choosing suitable preceptors for their internship year.
Some have elected to go to a particular place because it is down the road from where they live, others because they have worked there for some time, and the boss seems decent.
Personally, I am struggling with the "just another job" attitude towards the graduate year.
For many of us, "Graduate position available in 2002" with a phone number underneath is not enough to invoke any sort of interest in applying for the position. An advertisement such as that has the defined fragrance of Webster packing, or menial tasks.
In fact, I believe almost a reversal of the job application process is required, where a pharmacy discusses with the graduates what it has to offer graduates, and in return, the graduate then shows what it is able to offer the pharmacy.
Some of us have a clear indication of what we expect from a graduate position, and are looking to the multitude of pharmacies to see which one can best suit our individual needs.
For example, I have a keen interest in rural health. I would also like to utilise the forward pharmacy system, as well as improve my knowledge of herbal and complementary therapies.
I one day hope to own a pharmacy, so exposure to the managerial side of things would also be beneficial.
I would therefore have to seek a professionally successful (not just in monetary terms), open minded and integrative pharmacy with a patient pharmacist who is willing to show me the ropes of retail pharmacy.
There is an increasing need for experienced pharmacists to happily take a graduate under their wing and show them how to turn four years of theory into viable work practice. I fail to see how this could be achieved through Webster packing two or three days a week for a years duration, nor by merely filling the role of a dispensary technician.
I am by no means debating the need to learn these functions correctly, but there is great diversity to the job of a pharmacist, and exposure to all areas is needed.
A preceptor who is supportive of the learning path in which the graduate wishes to take is a marvelous asset to the graduate and the pharmacy profession as a whole, and gives the unique opportunity to assist the graduate in becoming a great pharmacist. Some might suggest that it is the role of the Pharmacy Graduate Training Course (PGTC) to fulfill these needs, and to an extent, this is true.
But this still represents a large amount of theory work, assignment preparation et al.
It would be tragic for profession and the employing pharmacist to have a graduate with unfulfilled potential at the end of their two thousand hours.
While the ball is squarely in the graduate's court to embrace learning opportunities and maintain enthusiasm, it is also important that this is directed by the preceptor through correct channels.
My point is that for many new graduates, the internship year represents quite possibly the only chance where we could work side by side with one experienced pharmacist for an extended period of time, very much like the master and the apprentice.
Thus I feel that there needs to be more of a discerning approach amongst my peers, and a responsible approach by pharmacists for the advancement of the pharmacy vocation."
Ends

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