2014

Pharmacy as a

ProfessionA L B E R T A P H A R M A C Y S T U D E N T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O NMelissa Woo

PHARMACIST OVERVIEW

• What do pharmacists do?

• Where do pharmacists work?

• What characteristics make a good pharmacist?

• What education do I need to become a pharmacist?

• What happens once I am a pharmacist?

2014

WHAT DO PHARMACISTS DO?

• Ensure medication is appropriate • Whaa?

• Take into account medical conditions, medications that interact, size, age, lifestyle

• Appropriate does not mean ensuring the medication is correct because that is what the doctor ordered

• Teach how to take medications, medical devices

• Answer drug information questions

• Manage chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, asthma and many more)

• Compound medications 2014

…MORE PHARMACISTS CAN DO!

• Work as a member of a healthcare team

• Give injections

• Prescribe certain medications

• Manage pharmacies

• Work in research

• Teach community education classes

• Teach post-secondary students

EXAMPLES

• Figuring out whether the blood pressure medications for Mr. Smith are appropriate based upon his blood pressure and other health conditions

• Looking at a list of medications that a patient is on and being able to assess whether all of them are appropriate for the patient

• Look at how to deal with drug interactions or how to manage side effects of a medication

2014

WHERE CAN A PHARMACIST WORK?

• Community pharmacies

• Hospitals

• Ambulatory clinics/Primary Care Networks

• Drug Companies

• Government

• Research and Development

• Insurance Companies2014

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PHARMACIST?

• Communication skills

• Building relationships with patients

• Efficient and organized

• Leader

• Good problem solver

• The drive to and motivation to help people

• Wanting to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life

• Don’t be afraid to work in a pharmacy, shadow a pharmacist,

talk to a pharmacy student to see what it’s really like!

HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?

You can take these over a period of one to two years, but there is no time requirement to take these courses.

1.CHEM 101 and 102

2.CHEM 164 (Need 90% or above in Chem 30) OR 261 and 263

3.Two of ENGL 121, 122, 123, 124 or 125

4.BIOL 107

5.BIOCH 200

6.MATH 113 or 114

7.STAT 141

2014

HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?

Don’t just focus on one subject! Look at expanding your education and learn about a variety of topics:

•Physiology•Anatomy•Microbiology•Immunology & Infection•Pharmacology•Psychology•Economics

You never know what you are going to like!2014

HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?

Applying to the Faculty

Apply with:

•University Transcript•Application Form•Letter of Intent•Online Interview•Pharmacist Consultation Form (Optional)•No need to write the PCAT for the University of Alberta

HOW DO I GET INTO PHARMACY?

Applying to the Faculty

Letter of Intent Composition

1.Your knowledge of the role of the pharmacist in the health care system

2.Plans if you don’t get accepted into the program

3.Volunteer and relevant work experiences

4.Extracurricular activities

5.An ethical question

2014

More About Acceptance

• Pharmacist consultation form • Strengthens application

• Letter of intent• FILL IN THE SPACE! • PROOF READ• SIGN

• Overall GPA: Last two years of post-secondary fall and winter

• Curriculum changing

2013

ACCEPTANCE INFORMATION

•Quota: Accept 130 students every year

•Year 2013: 600, Year 2012: 575,Year 2011: 602•Successful applicants from Alberta: 124/130•Proportion of successful applicants with 1+ degrees: 30/130•Competitive GPA: 3.5/4.0 (Will always change)

•Faculty looks at:•Pre-requisite course GPA•Overall GPA•Letter of Intent•Online interview

I’m In! Now What?

• Year 1: General Courses (Anatomy, Medicinal Chemistry), One month community rotation

• Year 2: Heavy clinical courses (Cardiology, Nephrology, etc.), Law and Ethics, two week hospital rotation

• Year 3: More clinical courses, Business Management

• Year 4: 16 week hospital and community rotation, and then pharmacy related electives

Big Exams of the Program

• End of 2nd and 3rd year: Cumulative exam of everything you have learned to that point in the form of an OSCE* (patient interview style) exam

• End of 4th year: PEBC* exam (Licensing Exam), Ethics and Jurisprudence Exam and OSCE.

• Get licensed

Then you’re a pharmacist!* Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

*Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada

Future Opportunities

PharmD Program: First class starting in 2013 Will become the entry level pharmacy program in

the future Obtain extensive clinical experience

Pharmacy MBA Program: Obtain your MBA in one year Complete courses required in between your 3rd and

4th year

2014

Being a Pharmacy Student

• Have the opportunity to get involved with the community

• Strong student body

• Will get to know your entire class• Pharmacy formal (Blue and Gold Ball), Mr. Pharmacy, Class

BBQs

• Travelling opportunities

Why Choose Pharmacy at the U of A?

• 9 other Canadian Pharmacy Schools (UBC, U of S, U of M, U of T, Waterloo, Montreal, Laval, Dalhousie, Memorial U)

• More focus on practice courses

• 16 of last 18 exams, U of A has placed first (also, top student in 12 of last 18)

• Spin-off research companies (top in research & technology transfer)

• No PCAT

• Professional/Social events (lots of fun!!!)

2014

I’ve Graduated . . . Now What?

• Wage: $36.31 to $66.00 an hour

• New legislation gives prescribing rights

• Regulation of pharmacy technicians will provide more time for pharmacists to focus on patient services

As of July 1st,2012 Compensation for Pharmacy Services

• Shift of importance from drug distribution to patient services

• Government compensating community pharmacies to provide more clinical services

• Annual Care plans ($100/review), Medication assessment ($60/ review), administer medications by injection ($20/day), adapt prescription ($20/ adaptation), prescription renewal ($20/renewal)

• Allows pharmacists to use their professional skills and improves patient awareness of health services pharmacists can provide

2014

Contact Us• The Website: www.pharm.ualberta.ca

• Rae Beaumont (Student Services Team Lead): phstud@ualberta.ca 

• Melissa Woo (Community Education Director) : woo2@ualberta.ca

REFERENCES• http://www.pharmacy.ualberta.ca• https://pharmacists.ab.ca• http://www.trendsreport2003.com• Compensation for Pharmacy Services July 2012 - Alberta Health• High school presentation by Joey Ton

What questions do you have?