April 15, 2024, by Mei Kee Lee
Experience Sharing: Summer Internship at Tung Shin Hospital
By Audrey Lim Pei Pei, who is currently a Year 2 Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) student at UNM.
Where did you do your summer internship? How long was it?
I did my summer internship in Tung Shin Hospital. It began on the 7th August 2023 and ended on the 2nd September 2023 (4 weeks).
What did it involve?
We were split into groups of 2 and had the opportunity to work in both in-patient and out-patient settings, respectively. During our time, we helped pack medicines for patients as well as restock medications. We had the opportunity to reconstitute medicines such as diluting antibiotics, as well as prepare some extemporaneous medication under the supervision of the pharmacists. I especially enjoyed the briefing session with Mr Lock, the pharmacist in charge of us during our internship. Every workday, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Mr Lock would teach us about topics ranging from antibiotics to patient counselling and so much more. We also got to join the other pharmacists in their bi-weekly training sessions, where they covered topics such as treatments for parasitic skin conditions, as well as the importance of maintaining a cold chain when transporting medicines. On top of that, we were also invited to attend seminars where representatives from pharmaceutical companies would come and guide everyone in attendance on how to properly use their products as well as how their products would benefit patients.
What did you find interesting throughout this experience?
A particularly inspiring case was when Mr Lock intercepted a prescription that provided a patient with an NSAID that they were allergic to. It was interesting to see how his experience and knowledge helped him identify which medications patients are commonly allergic to, prompting him to double-check the patient’s allergies beforehand. This reminded me of how important it is to be thorough with WWHAM questions when counselling patients on how to take their medications, especially identifying any allergies that they may have, to avoid any unfavourable outcomes. I also enjoyed the opportunity to be able to first-hand witness how pharmacy technicians reconstitute cancer drugs for patient. Here, we got to don full PPE and enter the clean room to understand in detail how everything is carried out, as well as the SOPs in place to ensure patient safety.
How did the summer internship support your learning and future career development?
This summer internship solidified my idea of the importance of pharmacists in the healthcare setting and demonstrated how pharmacists bridge the gap between patients and doctors. It has also helped increase my exposure when it comes to meeting patients. From this internship, I have a better idea of what it is like to be a hospital pharmacist and the responsibilities it entails.
What is one take home message you obtain from this experience?
As a future pharmacist, it is important to be sharp on the job, as any error may result in harm to patients. Hence, it is important for me to be well-equipped with the clinical knowledge needed to ensure the best treatment outcome for patients.
What is your advice to current or prospective students on signing up for summer internships?
Don’t be intimidated and apply for any internship opportunity that may be of interest! You never know what opportunity may arise until you give it a try!
Some of the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians we worked with
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