Programme Timetable

Each pre-registration trainee has their own core ward for the year where they work alongside an experienced pharmacist and medicines management technician. Hands-on clinical experience is also gained in a variety of medical and surgical specialties and in critical care, haematology, neonatology, renal dialysis and hospice care.

Following a comprehensive induction, each trainee initially spends time in the key operational areas of the department: dispensary, aseptics and medicines information.  They gain experience of different prescription types and develop their product knowledge. Structured training programmes in each of these areas support learning.

Students spend time on the wards with medicines management technicians (MMT), completing training in medication history taking and counselling. Weekly dispensary slots are continued to enable the students to achieve their accuracy checking qualification.  Some time is also spent in stores and distribution learning roles of the different members of the team to gain an understanding of how medicines are procured and the systems for supplying stock medicines to wards.

Each trainee spends 4 weeks completing an audit whilst continuing some dispensary slots and medicines management work.  They develop skills in audit data collection, write up and then will be required to present their project locally and regionally as a poster and/or oral presentation.

The trainee will be introduced to clinical work at ward level under the supervision of their allocated clinical tutor (a senior pharmacist) learning more about the role of the pharmacist and gaining basic clinical experience.  A structured training programme ensures they develop the fundamental clinical skills needed to assess the appropriateness of drug therapy and maximise its benefit in individual patients.
This rotation includes spending time in a variety of medical and surgical specialties in addition to St John's Hospice and an acute Mental Health Trust. During these specialised clinical visits, students will have the opportunity to attend ward rounds and shadow pharmacists and other healthcare professionals on wards and in clinics.

Cross sector experience in community pharmacy is also completed during this time.

From the beginning of May, trainees become clinically responsible for an increasing number of patients on a ward under supervision. Responsibility is also increased in the dispensary by managing work flow through ‘team leading’. This is to ensure that by the end of the pre-registration year, the trainee is able to work confidently and competently as a pharmacist. 

The pre-registration students sit in-house mock pre-registration exams in May to help prepare them for the June exam.