My year
at university is the third year to go through the four year pharmacy
degree.
The fourth year is a brand new year full of tutorials that are designed
for "group discussion" and "problem based learning".
As the light becomes clearer at the end of the tunnel, my thoughts
(as well as my peers) seem to think that this year is not that necessary.
I work one day a week in a pharmacy and feel that this is the day
I actually learn the most in comparison to what I do at university!
The
one subject that I do believe is useful is clinical practice,
because we get the opportunity to actually work in either a community
pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, or specialist clinic.
I am currently at a Hospital in Sydney.
This has been a great experience to witness some rare, interesting
cases that you would not see at a community pharmacy.
One case I studied included a lady with a rare condition called
Bechae's disease. This is a one in a million disease (six people
in Australia have it), resulting in oedema and ulceration all
over the body.
The patient is 45 years old and has had the disease since a young
age, but it was only diagnosed last year.
Although
I have enjoyed working in a hospital, community pharmacy is definitely
my passion.
I really enjoy serving customers, getting to know them, and actually
helping them out.
It is so rewarding when you make a recommendation and they come
back with many thanks.
I
would like to make one point about the increase in costs of PBS
items that is occurring this August.
I think that in some ways, this is a good move.
Obviously it will save the government a lot of money, but it may
awaken many patients of the high costs of medication and also
the fact that medicines shouldn't be taken for granted.
It may encourage patients that taking eg Lipitor is not the only
answer to lowering their cholesterol.
I believe that society is starting to think that whatever is wrong
with them, popping a pill should cure them.
Maybe this increase in costs may encourage patients to take extra
measures for their health eg. eat better, do more exercise.
Thanks
for your time once more,
Andrew
Snow
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