Pre-Registration Year

The period of practical training prescribed by the Guidelines for Good Pharmaceutical Practice 2004 is 2,280 hours, of which at least 1,824 hours must be served as a pre-registrant under articles, while the remainder may be served as an undergraduate pharmacy student. It is considered desirable for students to complete the first 456 hours of training prior to attempting the fourth-year Bachelor of Pharmacy examinations. Students register with the Pharmacy Board of Victoria to commence collation of their training hours as an undergraduate. In all circumstances, the practical training must be served in continuous periods of not less than 90 hours or more than 135 hours, in any four-week period with the one preceptor. The minimum number of training hours approved under one preceptor is 114 hours.

The board will approve the whole period of practical training to be undertaken in a community pharmacy, a Friendly Society pharmacy, or a hospital (public, private, veterans or military). The board will approve a maximum 1,368 hours undertaken in a school of pharmacy or the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. If electing to train in these areas, a pre-registrant must complete a minimum of 912 trainee hours in community pharmacy, a Friendly Society pharmacy or hospital pharmacy department before being eligible to sit the registration examination.

Both the preceptor for each pre-registrant and the premises where the practical training is to be carried out must be approved by the board.

The board encourages undergraduates and graduates to obtain practical training in more than one area of pharmacy practice. This offers a broader and more valuable experience in practical training.

The Board stipulates that pre-registrants must undertake a pharmacy pre-registration training program approved by the Board during the course of their pre-registration training year. Currently approved pre-registration courses are offered by:

The Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University. This pre-registration course consists of two units, and can be augmented to a postgraduate qualification, the Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice, by completing two additional elective units.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Victorian Branch) Ltd.

Graduates who wish to proceed to registration as a pharmacist are advised to read guidelines 201 and 202 under ‘Registration’ in the current edition of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria’s Guidelines for Good Pharmaceutical Practice 2004.

First aid/management training

Applicants for registration as a pharmacist are required to hold a current level 2, basic first aid course certificate, or other first aid course acceptable to the board, and to produce evidence of successful completion of an approved management course.

Articles

Articles of traineeship may only be entered into after passing the fourth-year Bachelor of Pharmacy examination. The form of agreement is available from the office of the board. A statutory fee is charged for the registration of articles of traineeship.

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