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Flexibility is the key to master's success

Mastering distance meant Lyn could study her way.

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Lyn Tram has just one regret about her time studying with Tasmania’s university, the University of Tasmania – she hasn’t yet had the chance to visit the beautiful island state her uni is based in.

Lyn studied her Master of Clinical Pharmacy off-campus from her ‘home-town’, Adelaide, and graduated in August 2018. She completed her undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at University SA but chose the University of Tasmania to complete her master's due to the flexibility of the course.

“In South Australia I would need to attend compulsory on campus workshops, but because I was working, the opportunity to study entirely off campus and online was what I found appealing about the University of Tasmania.”

Lyn worked for a compounding community pharmacy in Adelaide after completing her undergraduate degree. She is now working full-time as a clinical pharmacist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The University of Tasmania understands people’s circumstances can change mid-course.

“Staff provided guidance as to how much time would be needed for my study and this advice helped me manage my work and study commitments.”

Lyn’s thesis assessed, the quality of physician oral anticoagulation prescribing for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. What she found was, while there was a high rate of oral anticoagulant prescribing in line with current guideline recommendations, the choice or agents and appropriate dosing was suboptimal.

I haven’t decided whether to formally publish the findings as yet, but the project was a great opportunity to understand the research process. I can utilise these research skills in a workplace later in my career if I follow that path.

Lyn’s thesis was supervised by Clinical Pharmacy course co-ordinator Dr Colin Curtain and Professor Luke Bereznicki. Lyn hasn’t met her mentors in person, but she says that didn’t hinder her postgraduate experience.

I enjoyed the challenge of finding the answers myself without being hand-fed, knowing my supervisors were always available – the guidance and support I received from my supervisors and coordinators really helped to get me through my postgraduate experience.

With a master’s degree from the University behind her, Lyn hopes to continue her association with our island state… “I do hope to get there one day!”

Find out more about studying postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy

Find out more about Studying undergraduate Pharmacy