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Monash University

Monash University Handbook 2011

To practice as a pharmacist in Australia it is necessary to be registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. The Pharmacy Board has several functions, including:

  • registering pharmacists and students
  • developing standards, codes and guidelines for the pharmacy profession
  • handling notifications, complaints, investigations and disciplinary hearings
  • assessing overseas trained practitioners who wish to practise in Australia
  • approving accreditation standards and accredited courses of study.

These functions are covered in more detail via the Pharmacy Board of Australia website at http://www.pharmacyboard.gov.au.

Registration standards define the requirements that applicants or students need to meet to be registered and include the following:

(i.) An individual applying for initial general registration must undertake an examination (written and oral) determined by the Board.

(ii.) An applicant who is an international student must have the necessary English language skills for registration purposes by achieving an overall total score of 7.5 in the IELTS academic module. Test results will generally need to be obtained within two years, but preferably within 12 months prior to applying for registration. Additionally, a current English Language (EL) test result will be required for applicants who did not complete their secondary education in English in specifically listed countries.

(iii.) A period of supervised practice, which includes internship, undertaking pharmacy practice under the direct supervision of a pharmacist who holds general registration (a preceptor), while the pharmacist is providing pharmacy services in pharmacy premises or other circumstances as determined by the Board.

An approved undergraduate degree in pharmacy, such as that offered by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is also required. The Pharmacy Board of Australia can advise of further requirements. The above-summarised standards are available in-full along with further standards at http://www.pharmacyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx.

Period of supervised practice (internship)

To undertake supervised practice for initial general registration, interns (pre-registrants) require 'provisional registration' with the Pharmacy Board of Australia, and are known as 'provisionally registered pharmacists'.

The Pharmacy Board stipulates that provisionally registered pharmacists must undertake an approved pharmacy internship training program during the course of their period of supervised practice (see requirement vii above), such as the Monash University pharmacy internship program. This program consists of two units:

  • PGP5011 Applied pharmacy practice I
  • PGP5012 Applied pharmacy practice II

The pharmacy internship program is offered in course 3460 Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice (Internship), or can be undertaken as full-fee single units.

Further information about this postgraduate qualification can be found on the faculty's website at http://www.pharm.monash.edu.au/courses/pre-reg.