MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS

Pharmacy Handbook 1996

Published by Monash University
Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

Caution Copyright © Monash University 1996
ISBN 1037-0919

Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996

PREREGISTRATION TRAINING

CONTENTS

  1. Introduction
  2. Practical training
  3. Final examination

Introduction

Having completed the requirements for the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, in order to register as a pharmacist, graduates must complete a period of practical training and pass the final examination conducted by the Pharmacy Board of Victoria.

This period of practical training must be regarded as an integral part of a four year programme leading to registration as a pharmacist. The undergraduate pharmacy course has been structured in a way which depends upon the period of practical training following graduation for instruction in many aspects of clinical pharmacy and applied therapeutics. It is not possible to include these topics in the current three year undergraduate program.

A prerequisite to entering for the final examination is that practical training has been undertaken under conditions laid down by the board, and in premises approved by the board. Students should check with prospective tutors that the training arrangements have received board approval.

The Pharmacy Board of Victoria and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

The Pharmacy Board of Victoria is a statutory body constituted by Act of Parliament and answerable to the Victorian State Parliament through the Minister for Health. The board meets and has its administrative offices at the Victorian College of Pharmacy.

The board approves the prescribed subjects to be studied by students undertaking the pharmacy course, attends to the registration of pharmacists, supervises the practical training of students and trainees including the registration of articles of traineeship, approves tutors and premises for training and issues students' record books. The board's function is to act primarily in the interests of the public. The registrar of the board is also the executive director of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Victorian Branch) Ltd.

The Pharmaceutical Society is a professional organisation incorporated under articles of association. It has branches in each State, and in Victoria is administered by a council of twelve elected members. The society provides continuing professional education in liaison with other professional bodies, membership services and the Australian College of Pharmacy Practice.

Practical training

The period of practical training prescribed by the regulations is 2280 hours of which at least 1824 must be served as a trainee under articles, while the remainder may be served during undergraduateship without being articled. It is considered most desirable for students to complete the first 456 hours training prior to attempting the Pharmacy III examination. In all circumstances the practical training must be served in continuous periods of not less than 132 hours nor more than 180 hours, in any four-week period with the one tutor.

The board will approve the whole period of practical training to be undertaken in a community pharmacy, a Friendly Society dispensary, or a hospital (ie public, private, veterans or military). The board will approve a maximum of 1368 hours undertaken in a school of pharmacy, a university department of pharmacology or the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

The tutor for each trainee and the premises where the practical training is to be carried out are required to be approved by the board in each particular case.

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

Trainees must undertake the traineeship program of the Chapter of Pharmacy Practice Tutors of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Victorian Branch) Ltd or other course of practical training approved by the board.

Graduates who wish to proceed to registration as a pharmacist are advised to read guidelines 201 and 202 on `Registration' in the current edition of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria guidelines, obtainable from the board's office.

First-aid training

Applicants for registration as a pharmacist are required to hold a current level 2, basic first-aid course, or other first-aid course acceptable to the board.

Articles

Articles of traineeship may only be entered into after passing the Pharmacy III examination. The form of agreement, which must be completed in triplicate, is available from the office of the board. A statutory fee is charged for the registration of articles of traineeship.

Final examination

The syllabus includes practical and oral tests in pharmacy practice.

Pharmacy practice (practical)

This is a three-hour test conducted in the departments of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice by the Pharmacy Board in cooperation with the academic staff of the college.

Candidates will be required to demonstrate competency in the preparation and presentation of extemporaneously prepared pharmaceutical products and in dealing with problems involved with the dispensing of prescriptions. Appreciation and resolution of contemporary problems in modern medication is also expected. Candidates are required to write a concise but accurate and intelligible record of all relevant quantitative and qualitative information as to their bench operations. Competency in common pharmaceutical calculations, speed and accuracy in weighing, measuring and blending, unfaltering care and cleanliness as well as the use of good technical English in reporting are essential. Free use of the common compendia and pharmaceutical references during the examination is permitted.

Pharmacy practice (oral)

Candidates will be required to communicate effectively with the interviewer and demonstrate knowledge of the State and Commonwealth laws relating to the practice of pharmacy in Victoria, to demonstrate competence in reading prescriptions, and the management of medication problems.

Candidates will also be required to demonstrate in technical and forensic details relative to pharmacy practice in accordance with the competency standards.

Candidates will be expected to exhibit knowledge of the responsibilities of pharmacists under the:

+ Pharmacists Act 1974

+ Pharmacist Regulations 1992

+ Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981

+ Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 1995

+ Relevant Health Services Acts and the relevant sections of the Regulations

+ National Health Act and Regulations

The candidate will be expected to demonstrate competence and fluency in spoken English.

Study guide

The board issues a `Candidate's study guide', for the examination in April each year.

Competency standards

In order to assess competence to practise, the Pharmacy Board of Victoria uses `Competency standards for entry level pharmacists in Australia', adopted in 1994, as set out in the `Candidate's study guide'.

Closing date of entry

All trainees will be advised of the closing date of entry by a personal communication sent to their last known address.

Examination rules - final examination

The following examination rules are issued by the Pharmacy Board of Victoria. These rules should be read in conjunction with the provisions of the Pharmacists Act 1974.

1. Candidates are required to pay the prescribed fee for the final examination subjects as set down under the Pharmacists Act 1974 prior to sitting for examination.

2. An entry for examination will normally only be accepted from graduates who have completed, at the closing date for entries for the examination, at least three-fourths of the prescribed training set down under the Pharmacists Regulations 1992.

3. Candidates must pass both subjects at the one attempt at the final examination set down in the Pharmacists Regulations 1992 (ie `Pharmacy practice (practical)' and `Pharmacy practice (oral)') to be judged successful.

4. In the case of the Pharmacy practice (practical) examination:

(a) candidates will be permitted to enter the examination room fifteen minutes prior to the commencement of the examination;

(b) candidates may read the examination paper prior to commencement of the examination but may not begin the examination until advised to do so by the supervisor;

(c) candidates may not leave the examination room until the examination has been in progress for half an hour;

(d) candidates arriving more than half an hour after the examination has commenced will not be admitted;

(e) candidates must not communicate with one another in the examination room;

(f) examination booklets must not be taken from the laboratory;

(g) examination answer booklets taken from the laboratory will not be marked;

(h) candidates must not leave their position in the laboratory until approval of the supervisor is obtained.

5. In the case of the `Pharmacy practice (oral)' examination candidates who have not been examined must not communicate with candidates who have taken the examination.

6. Candidates must not communicate concerning the examination with examiners or members of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria from the end of the final examination until after the publication of results.

7. Where sickness or other circumstances warranting compassion arise, candidates must furnish written information to the registrar immediately. In the case of sickness, a medical certificate is required and must be forwarded to the registrar of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria within forty-eight hours of the time of consultation.

8. The Pharmacy Board of Victoria will publish results of examination, but it may, in the case of a candidate failing to observe these examination rules, omit the results of such a candidate.

9. Failure to comply with any rule or instruction by an examiner will be regarded as a breach of discipline and may be reported to the registrar of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria.

10. Any communication regarding examinations must be addressed in the initial instance to the registrar of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria.

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