The University of Tasmania’s Bachelor of Pharmacy course has rated top in Australia for students in the latest Good Universities Guide.
With a high graduate employment rate, the University was rated number one in Australia for full-time employment of graduates and skills development in the field of pharmacy.
Associate Head of Pharmacy Luke Bereznicki said small class sizes, high-calibre teaching staff, a strong focus on clinical skills development and emphasis on hands-on real-world experience, were all part of what gave the course broad appeal and successful outcomes for graduates.
“In our Bachelor of Pharmacy, all students participate in mandatory experiential placements in hospitals and other healthcare facilities in Australia and partner sites around the world,” Associate Professor Bereznicki said.
“This gives students great hands-on experience and prepares them for practice as a pharmacist in any setting, whether that be as a community pharmacist, or working as a clinical pharmacist in a hospital, general practice or an aged care facility.”
Third year pharmacy student Maggie Taylor said the first-hand experience offered by the course was what compelled her to leave Victoria to study pharmacy in Tasmania.
“I'm originally from Victoria, but chose to study over here because of the University of Tasmania’s pharmacy course’s reputation and particularly because of the placement opportunities not offered interstate,” she said.
“I liked the idea of a more ‘hands-on approach’ in terms of all the placement opportunities offered, and how (I believe) this sets us up well for employment and ‘real-life’ pharmacy practice.”
Ms Taylor is currently working on an Honours project and is also considering returning to the University of Tasmania to complete a PhD in pharmacy.
She said prospects in her field were both exciting and promising.
“I'm completing a project as part of the Integrated Honours program within the Bachelor of Pharmacy, which has really cemented my interest in maternal/neonatal health – an area which I'd like to specialise in the future,” Ms Taylor said.
“I think the job prospects are good, with the types of roles for pharmacists expanding (i.e. no longer a community/hospital dichotomy) and feel working as a GP-pharmacist or within a women's health clinic could be a good way for me to work within my field of interest.”
The University of Tasmania was also one of eight universities to record a five-star social equity rating overall in the Good Universities Guide for 2018.
The Good Universities Guide provides independent, five-star performance ratings for every university in Australia across a range of areas including; learner engagement, resources, overall quality, skills development, student support, teaching quality, graduate salary and student employment rates.
