CAREERS IN PHARMACY
If you’ ve ever had a prescription filled at your local community pharmacy, you probably think you know what pharmacists do. The fact is, community pharmacy represents only one of dozens of career paths our graduates pursue.
AGED CARE PHARMACIST Older people often have complex needs when it comes to medications. They’ re frequently taking a number of different medications and can be more susceptible to side effects. They may also need adjustments to their medications to accommodate difficulties with vision, hearing, memory, cognitive function or organ dysfunction.
CLINICAL TRIALS PHARMACIST Pharmacists in this area support the management and delivery of clinical trials of new medicines. The role involves coordinating studies from a medicinal perspective, ensuring that drugs used in the trials are imported, stored, accounted for, compounded, dispensed and used in accordance with strict protocols. It may involve liaising with hospital staff, counselling participants and carers, and educating medical and nursing staff.
COMPLEX CARE COORDINATOR A relatively new career path, complex care coordination involves working with a hospital healthcare team and is often combined with consultant pharmacy work. The role involves providing early post-discharge medication review and follow-up plans for patients identified as being‘ high risk’ by hospital clinicians.
CONSULTANT PHARMACIST Accredited consultant pharmacists conduct home medicines reviews and residential medication management reviews. As with many roles, consultant pharmacists often work part time undertaking medication reviews, while also working in other healthcare settings such as working at a community health centre, working with chronic disease management groups, or providing nurse education.
DRUG SAFETY OFFICER Pharmacovigilance is an area focusing on monitoring drug safety. A pharmacist working as a drug safety officer liaises regularly with government and industry bodies, consumers and other healthcare professionals. Their responsibilities include receiving and processing reports of adverse drug events and conducting regular conciliation with health authorities. They use their skills and qualifications to ensure the public has access to safe and reliable medications.
HOSPITAL PHARMACIST Hospital pharmacy involves a lot of collaboration as you find yourself working closely with a team of other healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, to provide the best care for patients. Working as a hospital pharmacist helps you develop valuable skills that are highly sought after in other pharmacy settings. Many pharmacists will spend some part of their career in a hospital environment.
PRIMARY CARE PHARMACIST A practice pharmacist doesn’ t dispense medicines. Instead, they work within a general medical practice to deliver direct support to general practitioners, practice nurses, and patients. They can often give more time and attention to individual cases, providing quality care and specialised services such as smoking cessation.
PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISOR Pharmacists have knowledge, skills and experience that can contribute to advisory roles, both for the government as well as non-government institutions, such as health funds and private hospitals. The range of possible roles in this area is extensive, including medicines access, public health, developing eHealth services and more.
REGULATORY AFFAIRS ASSOCIATE Working in regulation involves ensuring the appropriate licensing of and legal compliance by pharmaceutical and medical products. Following this career path, you are involved in ensuring that a company’ s products comply with regulations and legislation.
RESEARCHER / ACADEMIC Many students find their passion for research while studying and go on to make a career of exploring and developing ideas in pharmacy. Through research and evaluation, pharmacists can make a huge practical difference to health policy and services. Common research areas for pharmacy graduates include pharmacy practice, pharmacotherapy, drug discovery, toxicology, clinical sciences, public health and many more.
Monash’ s innovative pharmacy curriculum particularly impressed me. The program fostered a strong foundation in self-directed learning, equipping us with the skills to become resourceful and independent practitioners. This approach encouraged critical thinking and instilled a lifelong habit of seeking out new knowledge and solutions.”
TAN XUAN YING
Bachelor of Pharmacy( Honours) Pharmacist, Chemist Warehouse Cairns, Australia
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