November 1, 2019, by ZY
Alumni Testimonial: Rachel Tan (2017)
I have finally come to complete my Pharmacy degree at the world-renowned UoN and I really cannot be more proud. Spending two years in the UK where healthcare is a priority has indeed been an eye-opener and it has helped me to truly understand the meaning of delivering a patient centred care that engages patients in any matters related to their treatment.
The School of Pharmacy’s ranking at the 6th position in the world really speaks volumes. The pharmacy course itself provides a great platform where students are constantly able to put their knowledge into practice. Particularly in the fourth year, students are required to run a simulated pharmacy and work on case studies that do not only hone their clinical and communication skills, but also help to develop skills such as speaking up to prevent harm, empathising with people and innovating to improve patients’ quality of life.
I had the opportunity to complete two summer placements at local community pharmacies and also a weekend job at the Queens Medical Centre. Naturally, I had the intention to complete my pre-registration year in the UK as I wanted to explore the pharmacy career further and bring back some good elements to Malaysia. Looking for a job here was worrying at the beginning with laws being implemented in the UK to reduce immigration and after hearing stories about how competitive it was to secure a pre-registration position. However, in less than half a year, most of us were able to secure pre-registration positions, with some working in hospital pharmacies and others in community pharmacies.
I myself have successfully secured a place at a small-chain community pharmacy at Cheltenham and I am really excited to start another new chapter of my life. It does take a lot of hard work and perseverance to apply for a pre-registration position, like it would anywhere else, but it is not entirely impossible if you were willing to put in that extra effort. Studying at UoN does improve your job chances as its graduates are usually highly sought after by employers, but remember to always add value to your degree and stand out from the crowd. With that being said, I hope you make the right choice and enjoy your Pharmacy degree as much as I did.
Rachel is currently a renal pharmacist at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, UK.
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