MPharm Pharmacy / Course details

Develop students’ core knowledge and problem solving skills relating to patient and medication safety, clinical applications of pharmacogenetics and pharmaceutical care.

This unit builds on skills and knowledge gained in the previous 3 years of the MPharm curriculum. The unit is designed to prepare the student for the practice of pharmacy in their pre-registration year and beyond.  During the course, the student will gain new knowledge in pharmaceutical care, pharmacogenetics, patient care, and management of complex patients.  Workshops will allow the student to develop competencies and skills in communication, team work, decision making, and pharmaceutical planning in a safe environment.  This is the top of the spiral curriculum where the knowledge and concepts learned in the previous years of study are put into practice so that the student will leave the MPharm programme competent to begin practice as a pre-registration pharmacist in the community, primary care or hospital setting.  The unit uses both individual and group-based learning.

Lectures and seminars

Interactive workshops

e-learning package (genetics)

Role-play / simulation of clinical skills

Oral presentations

Use a systematic approach to problem solving within pharmaceutical care

Describe ways in which the pharmacist can contribute to the quality of patient care and improve patient outcomes.

Access, use & critically evaluate evidence to support safe, rational & cost effective use of medicines

Recommend, monitor and modify prescribed treatment to  optimise health outcomes, in collaboration with the prescriber and patient

Apply principles of evidence-based practice to address actual and potential problems with individual patients’ therapy and advice on appropriate drug therapy.

Instruct patients in the safe and effective use of their medicines and devices

Record accurate and relevant patient medical and social history

Prepare and present pharmaceutical reviews (PR)

Prepare and present pharmaceutical care plans (PCP)

Work effectively within teams

Engage in inter-professional and clinical simulations to improve employment prospects and further develop team-working and communication skills

Summative Assessment

Component 1 – 15 credits

Pharmaceutical Review Group Report and Presentation: 25% (pass mark = 40%)

Preparation for Practice (MCQ) Exam: 

25%   (pass mark = 40%)

Component 2 – 15 credits

Pharmaceutical Care Plan (PCP) presentations:

25% each for a total of 50% (pass mark = 40%)

Component 3 – 0 credits

Clinical Skills OSCE exam:

0%     (pass/fail)

Students must pass each component to pass the unit.

Note: the PCP and OSCE assessments make use of penalties for errors or omissions which have the potential to cause significant patient harm.  The mark awarded for a resit attempt of the PCP exam is capped at 40%.

Feedback will be provided in the workshop sessions via peers and staff. Weekly PCP student-prepared model answers will be commented upon by staff and shared on Blackboard. OSCE workshops will use peer and staff feedback.

Will be provided on Blackboard on the reading list for the course