The first cohort of students to enrol in Victoria's only Doctor of Pharmacy degree will begin their study next year at Monash University's Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The new five-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) / Doctor of Pharmacy double degree has been designed to meet new Australian entry-to-practice standards, focusing on clinical decision-making, person-centred care, cultural safety, sustainability and digital literacy, including responsible AI use.
In the final year of the program, students undertake an accredited Intern Training Program, alongside paid supervised practice in a hospital or community pharmacy while completing electives that align with new and emerging roles for pharmacists in Australia.
A number of alternative exits are built into the degree, including the option to leave after the fourth year with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours), or depart with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) / Master of Pharmacy after five years, with a reduced workload in the fifth year.
Monash Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences student and President of the National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association, Mia Avram, said the program's structure addresses the practical realities of modern pharmacy.
"With pharmacists taking on expanded roles in areas like prescribing and aged care, it's important as students that our education keeps pace with these changes and prepares us for the realities of practice," Ms Avram said.
"Completing the final year alongside a paid internship gives students the opportunity to learn in the classroom while simultaneously developing their skills in practice, helping to bridge the gap between university and the profession."
Professor Kirstie Galbraith, who has led the development of the Doctor of Pharmacy, said the new degree has been designed to arm graduates for the future of the profession and keep pace with a changing clinical landscape.
"The role of the pharmacist in Australia is expanding rapidly, moving far beyond dispensing medication to cover more complex models of clinical care," Professor Galbraith said.
"The Doctor of Pharmacy ensures our graduates are prepared for these new paradigms, stepping into the workforce as highly trained clinicians."
Associate Professor Steven Walker, Director of Experiential Development and Graduate Education (EDGE), said the Faculty is well placed to offer additional training opportunities within the Doctor of Pharmacy to ensure graduates are prepared for expanded scope of practice pharmacist roles
"Over the past couple of years, the EDGE team has created programs of study to help pharmacists expand their scope of practice. We are excited to use our expertise to now offer such training to graduates of the new Doctor of Pharmacy," Associate Professor Walker said.
"By embedding more advanced skills in prescribing, physical assessment, and medication management, we are producing comprehensively trained pharmacists who can take on these emerging responsibilities with absolute confidence."
