Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) - 2019

Pharmacists make a difference to people's health in hospitals, aged-care facilities and local communities. In the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) you will learn about the formulation of medicines and their impact on the body. The course provides you with the knowledge, experience and expertise needed to make a difference as a medicines expert and healthcare professional.

Very high achieving students can apply to be admitted to the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) scholars program offered at the Parkville campus. The scholars program gives you opportunities such as academic and professional mentoring from pharmacy graduates, leadership training through the ambassador program and a dean's scholarship (if you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen or holder of an Australian permanent resident or permanent humanitarian visa).

Pharmacy students will learn from experienced pharmacists and researchers in some of the country's best-equipped facilities. You'll have access to innovative teaching technologies, such as 'MyDispense', a web-based program that combines over 300 virtual patients and 1500 pharmacy products to provide authentic dispensing practice, and 'Pharmatopia', a virtual hi-tech teaching tool, developed by us and adopted by leading pharmacy schools around world.

During third and fourth year, you will undertake work placements in hospitals and community pharmacies through the professional experience placement program. The program provides an understanding of the processes involved in, for example, providing primary health care, drug information, and clinical pharmacy services in different practice environments.

Our Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) course is accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council. To become a registered pharmacist, you must first complete the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) degree, then undertake a period of supervised practice in accordance with the requirements set out by the Pharmacy Board of Australia, while also completing an internship training program which is accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council. Monash University offers an Australian Pharmacy Council accredited internship program, either as a stand-alone course or as part of course P4001 Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice (Internship). Monash University is not responsible for finding or organising internship positions for our graduates.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 8 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 8 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to:

1. relate knowledge and skills attained in all themes of the course (structure and function of the body, drug structure, disposition and action, professional practice, comprehensive care, inquiry and innovation, and professional experience) to the pharmacy practice context
2. apply the relevant cognitive and technical skills for the practice of pharmacy as defined by the current competencies and expectations of future practice
3. demonstrate, in the context of clinical situations, advanced cognitive and non-cognitive skills, including oral and written communication, critical thinking, learning for life, numeracy and information literacy, and leadership
4. display the relevant professional and social values, attitudes and behaviour necessary for practice. Apply the knowledge and skills gained to promote, develop and contribute to the quality use of medicines and to the health of the community.
5. develop and implement a personalised learning plan to achieve skills required for entry into pre-registration training (internship)
6. demonstrate integrated problem-solving skills, innovative thinking and application of evidence in practice settings.

Refer to the undergraduate credit transfer policyundergraduate credit transfer policy (http://intranet.monash.edu.au/pharm/students/undergrad/policy/credit.html).

Graduate entry is available for students with a completed undergraduate degree in a related science course, specifically a Bachelor of Biomedical Science. A credit precedence is set for students entering the course through this pathway; they must enter into the summer intensive unit PAC1001 (Introduction to Pharmacy) prior to entering the third year of the course. This pathway is only open to eligible graduate students with a relevant completed degree prior to entering the third year of the course. The relevant completed degree must have been completed no more than ten years prior to application.

96 credit points

Pharmacy Board of Australia

This course is accredited by the Pharmacy Board of Australia.

To practice as a pharmacist in Victoria it is necessary to register with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. To qualify for registration with the Pharmacy Board of Australia, a period of internship practical training must be undertaken after completing this undergraduate course. Refer to the faculty's Registration as a pharmacistRegistration as a pharmacist (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2019handbooks/undergrad/pharm-02.html) page in this Handbook.

This course develops through the six themes, the first three being structure and function of the body; drug structure, disposition and action; and professional practice, which come together in the final three themes: comprehensive care; inquiry and innovation; and professional experience respectively. This course will develop the relevant practical and analytical skills you require for pharmacy practice, as well as generic skills such as oral and written communication, critical thinking, inquiry, learning for life, numeracy and information literacy and leadership.

Part A. Structure and function of the body (how the body works)

These studies will provide you with the foundational understanding and knowledge of the human body, including how cells, molecules and organs ensure proper functioning of the body. This will include studies of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry relevant to pharmacists. You will be able to predict the outcome of cell and organ dysfunction, as well as effectively communicate aspects of how the body works.

Part B. Drug structure, disposition, and action (how medicines work)

You will learn the important aspects for a molecule to become a medicine, and how medicines produce their effects. This will include studies of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics relevant to pharmacists. These studies will equip you with fundamental and applied knowledge required to understand and assess pre-formulation, formulation, manufacturing and packaging of pharmaceutical products. This includes the understanding and application of how medicines get absorbed, distributed and eliminated from the body and mechanisms and time-course of drug response in the body.

Part C. Professional practice (what pharmacists do)

These studies will equip you with the sociocultural context in which the pharmacist and the client operate, social and health practice issues, ethical, legal context of pharmacy, relevant professional and social values, attitudes and behaviours necessary for practice. You will develop the communication and practical skills to apply the knowledge and skills you have gained to promote and contribute to the quality use of medicines and to the health of the community.

Part D. Comprehensive care

Through these studies you will acquire knowledge about diseases and disorders and their management. You will develop an understanding and application of the relationship between pathophysiology and the rational design and clinical use of drugs in the management of various health conditions. You will gain and apply the knowledge and critical thinking skills in the enabling sciences, pharmaceutics and pharmacy practice to optimise pharmacotherapy in clinical practice.

Part E. Inquiry and innovation

These studies will build upon problem solving and innovative thinking skills developed in previous units. You will apply these skills to plan and conduct a project, think critically, and explore innovative solutions in a laboratory, clinical, social or business environment.

Part F. Professional experience

Embedded practice experiences during the course will prepare you to achieve the necessary competencies to enter the preregistration period if you intend to complete a fifth year. This will include 12 weeks in a variety of clinical settings to develop and give context for skill development.

The course comprises 192 points of pharmacy study.

The course develops through theme studies in: Part A. Structure and function of the body (12 points); Part B. Drug structure, disposition, and action (30 points); Part C. Professional practice (36 points); Part D. Comprehensive care (84 points); Part E. Inquiry and innovation (24 points); and Part F. Professional experience (6 points).

Note that students in the scholars program are required to maintain at least a distinction average (70 per cent) each semester. If you do not meet this standard you will be required to exit the scholars program.

The course progression mapcourse progression map (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2019handbooks/maps/map-p3001.pdf) provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Structure and function of the body (how the body works) (12 points)

You must complete:

• PHR1031 How the body works (12 points)

Part B. Drug structure, disposition and action (how medicines work) (30 points)

You must complete:

• PHR1021 How medicines work I
• PHR1022 How medicines work II (18 credit points)
• PHR2021 How medicines work III

Part C. Professional practice (what pharmacists do) (36 points)

You must complete:

• PHR1011 Professional practice I
• PHR1012 Professional practice II
• PHR2011 Professional practice III
• PHR2012 Professional practice IV (12 points)
• PHR4011 Professional practice V

Part D. Comprehensive care (78 points)

You must complete:

• PHR2041 Respiratory and gastrointestinal
• PHR2141 Dermatology and pain
• PHR2042 Endocrinology and renal
• PHR2142 Cardiovascular
• PHR3041 Brain, blood, & cancers (12 points)
• PHR3141 Infection Pathogens, host defense, & treatment (12 points)
• PHR3042 Acute care: inquiry cases (12 points)
• PHR4042 Integrated care: inquiry cases (18 points)

Part E. Inquiry and innovation (24 points)

You must complete:

• PHR5052 Inquiry and innovation methods
• PHR5051 Applied inquiry and innovation (18 points)

Part F. Professional experience (6 points)

You must complete:

• PHR3062 Student experiential placements I
• PHR4061 Student experiential placements II

If you successfully complete this course you may be provided with a pathway to a higher degree by research.