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A large push with the move to the four year pharmacy degree was to add management training to the degree, so that pharmacists were better equipped to deal with the retail environment.
At the University of Queensland and other universities, students now undertake some introductory management training under the auspices of the AIPM.
But one area which is lacking is in IT training.
All pharmacists deal with computers, but a lot of IT knowledge is assumed rather than taught.
While many pharmacists can master their dispensing program and point-of-sale software, their computer knowledge beyond this point is limited.
There are many pharmacists, however, with a keen interest in computing who have quite complex networking arrangements within their pharmacy and between pharmacies. These systems would normallly require the skills of an IT expert, but many pharmacists have taught themselves through necessity.
The future for retail pharmacy looks increasingly computer oriented.
While computers can already run stock control and ordering, your dispensing program, and point-of-sale, it looks increasingly likely that an e-commerce gateway between pharmacists and wholesalers (or manufacturers) will be established to make the existing ordering systems obsolete.
This will create an increasing need for internet knowledge and training in pharmacy.
Many pharmacies run complex computer networks that require continual expensive maintenance. This problem can be reduced by empowering pharmacists with the basic IT skills to run their own computer networks within the pharmacy.
Many smaller pharmacies in particular can't afford to employ computer experts to perform this task. This task could be quite fast and performed after work with minimal disruption by pharmacists with the correct training.
So what sort of training are we looking at?
This needs to start at university, where assignments must be typed.
Only those with the neatest handwriting can avoid this.
It's likely that even this concession has been or will be removed.
So use of a word processor is step one.
In order to figure out the word processor, you need to understand Windows.
I haven't seen a pharmacy that runs anything other than a PC (is there a Mac Pharmacy program out there?) so Windows knowledge is also essential.
This was a basic element missing in my university degree.
Step two is the pharmacy specific training.
This was something we got, and we learnt the basics of dispensing software, and some other pharmacy software. A lot more pharmacy related software is available now that most reference material is also on CD, so these should be a part of any university degree.
Step three could be an optional component of training for those who want to follow a management career path. An organisation such as AIPM could reach agreement with a computer trianing provider to offer more advanced computer training, such as networking, accounting programs and the like, which would be relevant for pharmacists who are managers.
This training should really be pharmacy specific rather than general computer training, which may lack application to a retail pharmacy.
IT skills are increasingly becoming important in pharmacy.
Managing pharmacists will increasingly become reliant on computing experts for a large part of their business unless they can obtain these skills themselves.
We need to become self-reliant in this area, and develop appropriate education to suit.
I'd be interested to hear the experiences of other pharmacists who are interested in IT and the various pieces of software that can run in the pharmacy. You can email me at Jonthechemist@aol.com

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