Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

The course is designed to enable students to establish skills in evidence-based practice, quality use of medicine, practice-based research, and the provision of clinical pharmacy services at a high level.

Upon completion of the Master of Clinical Pharmacy, graduates will be able to:

• provide clinical pharmacy services at a high level
• use evidence based principles to guide clinical practice
• appreciate concepts in biotechnology and their application to contemporary practice
• critically evaluate literature to develop research proposals
• undertake practice-based research projects.

Successful applicants who have commenced or completed other postgraduate programs in clinical pharmacy may apply for credit for relevant prior studies. Credit will be determined on an individual basis after a review of units completed and course documentation.

Students are required to develop a research proposal for a practice-based research project, write a project/grant proposal, and submit an ethics proposal and gain ethics approval from their practice site and from Monash University.

Students will present work in progress to a panel, conduct a literature review, and present a final verbal report of the research undertaken and submit a written report of their research project.

Assessment

Assessment is by assignments, presentations, online activities, completion of a placement, and submission of a research project.

This course requires four weeks of placement in a specialty area under the supervision of an experienced specialty clinical pharmacist preceptor approved by the course director. The placement may be undertaken in a four-week block, or as two blocks each of two weeks. It is expected that all four weeks will be carried out in the same specialty area of practice. Placements should not generally be undertaken in the student's normal workplace.

This program is conducted online and via off-campus learning. There is a small component of on-campus teaching, which students may elect to attend, however this is supported by online resources. Areas of study include:

• biostatistics
• epidemiology
• theory and practice of evidence-based medicine
• interpretation of clinical data
• pharmacotherapy and clinical research.

Great importance is placed on active student participation in seminar presentations and discussion groups, and student performance is closely monitored. Each student will complete a four-week speciality rotation with an experienced clinical preceptor and will carry out a small practice-based research project. Students must arrange the necessary time-release from their employer to complete the placement and research project.

Students must complete the following units:

• ECX9720 Introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics
• VCG5011 Evidence-based practice
• VCG5021 Patient data and pharmacotherapy I
• VCG5022 Patient data and pharmacotherapy II
• VCG6011 Specialty clinical placement
• VCG6012 Journal club
• VCG6013 Clinical research I
• VCG6021 Clinical research II
• VCG6022 Patient data and pharmacotherapy III
• VCG6023 Clinical research III

Minimum grade for course completion

A minimum of 65 per cent is required in both VCG5011 and ECX9720.

Students who do not achieve the required grades in VCG5011 and ECX9720 will be transfered to the Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice.

Master of Clinical Pharmacy