PHARMACY students from New Zealand have spent time in Forbes and Parkes in an initiative aimed at encouraging the next generation of pharmacists to complete their internship in rural Australia.
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The placement program is a Life Pharmacy Group (LPG) concept and gives Bachelor of Pharmacy students, from the University of Otago, a practical understanding of working in an Australian community pharmacy.
Amy Chung, Maria Dodiarto and Alyx Day have been working alongside pharmacists at Life Pharmacy Forbes, Flannery's Pharmacy, and Parkes Pharmacy, providing healthcare to local communities.
"The reason I love pharmacy is, to me, it's all about the connections and not just about serving customers, but really building those relationships," University of Otago Pharmacy student, Amy Chung, said.
"And I can see that in rural settings, that's visible, you can see the pharmacists aren't just handing out medications, they're connected - they know the people, they know the locals."
The placement program ensures fourth year students learn about the Australian healthcare system, laws, and guidelines of pharmacies in Australia, and gain an understanding of the role and significance of community pharmacy.
"The biggest reason I wanted to be a part of this placement is because I could definitely see myself working in Australia, as a pharmacist, but I had very minimal knowledge about the Australian healthcare system," Amy said.
"This is a great way to experience how to work as a pharmacist in Australia - you're getting lots of experience, you're connecting with lots of different people, and you're constantly learning. This placement is really going to expand horizons."
Students also took part in local activities, such as Aboriginal Cultural Immersion.
"This is a great opportunity for the students to explore regional Australia, get out of the metropolitan parts, and really see how the experiences differ in community pharmacy," Owner, and Pharmacist in Charge of Parkes Pharmacy, Lochie Pettiford, said.
"It's also a great opportunity for us to learn about pharmacy practices in New Zealand, from the students, and discover what we can implement in our stores, to provide a better experience for our customers."
LPG has also partnered with the Faculty of Health at the University of Canberra to support the students throughout their placement.
The university is delivering weekly education sessions to help prepare students for a career in Australian community pharmacy and facilitate a pathway to become a registered pharmacist in Australia.
"The students have really dived into this placement with great enthusiasm, they're all very eager to learn and see how Australian pharmacy operates, particularly in a rural setting," Mr Pettiford, said.
"Their main roles are interacting with customers, helping with script requests, and understanding how our dispensary system works."
The rotation encourages students to join the Life Pharmacy Group for their intern year, and in turn, increase the number of newly qualified pharmacists, eager to work and live in rural NSW.
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