As we step further into the year 2023, the question arises - why should one consider studying pharmacy? It's a question that deserves a thoughtful response, especially in a world that's rapidly evolving, with healthcare at the forefront of these changes.
Pharmacy is a multifaceted field, offering a wealth of opportunities that might just surprise you.
Pharmacists are healthcare practitioners who specialise in preparing and dispensing medicines to the community whilst ensuring their safe and effective use. They are also involved in providing medication guidance and counselling to patients and even healthcare providers.
Additionally, the career prospects in pharmacy are diverse for individuals who are passionate about the medical domain.
However, despite the perks of being called a ‘pharmacist’, why should anyone really consider the prestigious undertaking, that is a degree in pharmacy?
This article seeks to provide some decision support and give considerable insights to help answer this burning question.
Is pharmacy a good field?
The answer is a resounding yes!
Pharmacy is an excellent scientific discipline as it provides diverse job opportunities in the medical sector, research opportunities, stable income, and sustainable growth. Furthermore, pharmacists can work in disparate settings like medical supply chain companies, hospitals, veterinary spaces, retail pharmacy stores, and drug industries.
Additionally, the opportunity for community impact is massive as a community pharmacist. This is because they educate patients on the adverse effects of medically prescribed drugs and medicines. Thereby playing a vital role in improving public health.
Also read: What is Pharmacy? A Brief Overview
10 reasons to become a pharmacist
In no particular order of merit, here are our top ten reasons to consider taking the route of pharmaceutical studies. So, without further ado, here goes!
1. You will help people stay healthy and save lives
Pharmacists play a crucial role in facilitating the recuperation of patients, enabling them to get well as quickly as possible. Whenever a pharmacist is actively part of a patient’s care team, a patient’s chances of a swift recovery appreciably increase.
The reason is that pharmacists are medication specialists trained to improve medication adherence. This means they provide invaluable support to doctors, nurses and surgeons when navigating factors that might affect a patient’s ability to adhere to medication.
2. You have the opportunity to work directly with patients
Pharmacists work across ambulatory, inpatient and community settings. This means they can conveniently access patients every day of the week without an appointment.
In fact, student pharmacists are typically allowed to provide pharmaceutical services under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. They may also provide blood pressure monitoring services, cholesterol screening, and diabetes disease management.
Some pharmacies may even provide bone density scans for osteoporosis screening, smoking cessation consultation, and anticoagulation management clinics.
3. Pharmacists are in high demand globally
The ideal ratio of pharmacists to a given population should be 1:1000. However, many countries still fall far short of this figure. To aggravate things, more prescription and OTC drugs are being manufactured today than ever before.
In fact, more medications are being deployed to treat a single disease. This means that more pharmacists are in demand to help doctors and patients identify which medicines may have the most beneficial results. And since drug resistance reduces when pharmacists are actively involved in the care team, patient outcomes appreciably improve, and hospital costs decline.
With an ageing populous compounded with the emergence of new medicines, society will need more pharmacists to manage the continually growing number of prescriptions.
4. You will have job stability and a competitive salary
Since pharmacists can work across hospitals, government agencies, NGOs, and long-term care facilities, they have solid job stability.
And because pharmacists tend to be in demand during economic downturns, political reform, war and natural disasters, there is a relatively high level of job security that comes with the discipline.
Pharmacy is also a financially rewarding career choice with high wages. For example, according to Glassdoor, the average salary monthly of a pharmacist in Malaysia at RM 10,971.
5. You will have flexible work schedules
Pharmacists often have the flexibility of working non-traditional or part-time work hours. Of course, this depends largely on their practice setting.
Furthermore, pharmacists are licensed to work across different global territories. However, they may be subject to additional tests to transfer licensure status.
6. You will be a recognised member of the healthcare team
Pharmacists work hand in hand with other caregivers to maximise health outcomes. Several studies have proven that a pharmacist on hospital rounds as a full patient care team member dramatically reduces medication errors and hospital costs.
Suffice to say, the collaboration between physicians and pharmacists can ensure that patients properly take their medications as prescribed to avoid any harmful effects.
7. You will have diverse career opportunities
The diverse opportunities available to pharmacists cut across patient care, toxicology, veterinary, innovation and scientific research spheres.
In fact, a pharmacist can work at an independent or retail chain community pharmacy providing guidance to patients on using prescription and OTC medications. They may also choose to work in a nursing home, a non-government research organisation, or even become a CEO of a hospital chain!
8. It is access to different industries
Pharmacists can easily transition to different industries. For example, they can easily transition into the digital health space and work with advancing electronic prescriptions and robotics for automated prescription processing. They may even become specialists focused on guiding prescription monitoring programmes.
Perhaps, the most exciting prospect is their role in the digital health space to promote patient safety and advancing robotic tools to manage the dispensing process.
9. You can contribute to advancing medicine (research & drug development)
Relatedly, pharmacists can contribute to the growth of a discipline called pharmacogenomics. This discipline revolves around the fact that gene variations may affect a body’s response to a drug.
As such, researchers in this space hope to sequence the entire human gene in each individual. The outcome of this R&D may enable pharmacists to select tailored drug therapies for different individuals and treat diseases earlier than currently possible.
10. You will be respected in your community
Pharmacists are regarded as high-value professionals across the globe and leaders in the community due to their role in safeguarding public health. In fact, many pharmacists are viewed on par with medical doctors in terms of prestige in the community.
Where to study pharmacy in Malaysia?
The University of Nottingham’s prestigious School of Pharmacy is ranked amongst the top 8 worldwide, according to QS World’s 2023 University Rankings.
It offers a unique 4-year BPharm (Hons) degree programme that cuts across therapeutic themes via a series of practical "Drug, Medicine and Patient" (DMP) modules. The significant distinction between this programme and the BSc programme is the extended industrial and community pharmacy placements in the fourth year.
Furthermore, the University offers a BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences degree that runs as a 3-year degree programme. It is particularly tailored to students interested in drug discovery and the design of state-of-the-art drug delivery systems. For example, students are given the option to take advanced modules in drug design and delivery, as well as molecular pharmacology, entrepreneurship and marketing.
Additionally, the University offers a world-class Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) course that is fashioned as a 4-year degree programme. During the programme, students may choose to study the first two years at the University’s Malaysia campus and opt to transfer to the UK campus for their remaining two years.
FAQ
Can you do pharmacy without chemistry?
Unfortunately, one cannot do pharmacy without a foundational background in chemistry. Chemistry is vital to navigating the intricacies of drug composition, drug interactions, and pharmaceutical formulations.
Fortunately, most universities offer alternate enrolment pathways for individuals that don't have a chemistry background. This pathway typically comprises a foundation year or preparatory course designed to provide the applicable knowledge in chemistry before starting a pharmacy degree.
What are the educational requirements to become a pharmacist?
To become a pharmacist, you need to have completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy at an accredited university. Sometimes, a formal internship may be dictated where one undergoes experiential learning. Subsequently, they should be able to get licensed by the Pharmacy Board Malaysia (PBM) and start working.
Are there different areas of specialisation within the field of pharmacy?
Yes, there are different specialisations one can pursue in the field of pharmacy. For example, pharmacy informatics, nuclear pharmacy, clinical research and development, pharmacotherapy, geriatric pharmacy and ambulatory care pharmacy.
How long does it take to complete a pharmacy degree?
It takes approximately three to four years to complete a pharmacy degree— depending on if you choose a BSc or honours programme.
What is the cost of studying pharmacy, and are there scholarships available?
The Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) at UNM costs RM53,000 per year for Malaysian students and RM60,000 per year for international students.
However, a three-year Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences BSc (Hons) at UNM costs RM47,000 per year for Malaysian students and RM55,500 per year for international students.
If you want to pursue a Master’s degree programme (MPharm), the cost is RM55,000 per year for Malaysian students and RM61,000 per year for international students.
Conclusion
To wrap up, it's clear that studying pharmacy in 2023 offers a wealth of opportunities, both in terms of career prospects and personal growth. The field is diverse, dynamic, and at the cutting edge of healthcare, making it an exciting choice for those passionate about making a difference.
As ‘medication experts’, pharmacists play a critical role in enhancing patient care through medicine dispensing and the guidance they provide.
Graduates from the University of Nottingham School of Pharmacy can work in many settings, including hospitals, digital health startups, pharmaceutical research companies, nursing homes, non-government health agencies, and higher education.
As we navigate the evolving healthcare landscape, pharmacists will continue to be indispensable, their roles ever more vital.
So, if you're considering a career that combines science, health, and direct patient care, pharmacy might be the perfect fit for you!
Explore the scholarships available for our foundation, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses. Also, remember to download our prospectus for detailed information about our programs!
This article aims to give an overview of Malaysia's education system for public understanding. However, it does not cover all aspects of the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM), so readers are encouraged to seek more information if necessary.
Posted on 10th November 2023