Successful expansion at JCU sees an increase in numbers studying pharmacy

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch, today congratulated James Cook University (JCU) for their successful expansion of their Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) course to the Queensland regional centres of Cairns and Mackay.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch, and local community pharmacy groups – Alive Pharmacy Warehouse, Calanna Whole Health Pharmacy, LiveLife Pharmacy and Wholelife Pharmacy and Healthfoods – supported JCU with an advertising campaign to expand the course offering to Cairns and Mackay and continue successfully in Townsville.

Queensland Branch President, and JCU Adjunct Professor, Professor Trent Twomey, said the expansion meant 40 students in Cairns and 13 in Mackay would join the 52 students with offers in Townsville for JCU’s intake into the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) for 20211. Prof. Twomey said that the increase in the number of JCU students studying the course in 2020 was a positive step forward for community pharmacy.

“Congratulations to all of the students that have chosen to study their Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) this year at JCU. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is here to support you throughout your career journey – while you’re a student, during your intern year with our Intern Training Program, when you’re an early career pharmacist to when you may one day be a proprietor.”

“Community pharmacists are one of the most trusted primary healthcare professions and consumers are already regularly visiting their local pharmacy 18 times a year on average2-3. With 97% of consumers living within 2.5km of their local community pharmacy, and 65% in regional areas4, the ability for students to study pharmacy in regional areas is critical,” said Prof. Twomey.

“We were already seeing an increase in demand for pharmacists and pharmacist assistants ahead of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” said Professor Twomey.

“Throughout the response to COVID-19, community pharmacies have again demonstrated their importance in the provision of frontline primary healthcare services. This will only continue as the COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out, and likewise, we expect opportunities and jobs within community pharmacies to only increase going forward,” concluded Professor Twomey.

Learn more about the program – https://www.jcu.edu.au/courses/bachelor-of-pharmacy-honours.

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References:

  1. James Cook University. 2021.
  2. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. 2018. Expenditure And Prescriptions Twelve Months To 30 June 2018. Table 15(A). [online] Available at: https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/statistics/expenditure-prescriptions/expenditure-prescriptions-twelve-months-to-30-june-2018> [Accessed 31 July 2020].
  3. Roy Morgan. 2017. Roy Morgan Image Of Professions Survey 2017: Health Professionals Continue Domination With Nurses Most Highly Regarded Again; Followed By Doctors And Pharmacists. [online] Available at: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7244-roy-morgan-image-of-professions-may-2017-201706051543> [Accessed 31 July 2020].
  4. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, 2016. Submission To Review Of Pharmacy Remuneration And Regulation. [online] Canberra, p.6. Available at: https://www.guild.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/12957/guild-submission-to-review-of-pharmacy-remuneration-and-regulation-2016.pdf> [Accessed 31 July 2020].

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