The Territory’s future pharmacists will take to the stage this week to showcase their professional skills and vie for the title of Pharmacy Student of the Year.
This is the first year Northern Territory students have had the opportunity to compete in the national competition that recognises outstanding pharmacy students.
Charles Darwin University will host the first inaugural regional final for students taking part in their final year of the Bachelor of Pharmacy.
CDU pharmacy practice lecturer Mary Madden said competitors would showcase their knowledge and ability to act and counsel as a pharmacist in a scenario-based activity with actors posing as patients. “The student who most efficiently recommends the best treatment, as judged by the independent panel, will become the NT regional finalist,” she said.
Ms Madden said the winner of the NT regional final would fly to Adelaide to compete in the South Australian branch finals later this month for their chance to become the first NT student to compete at the national finals in Melbourne in November.
She said that while the prize money and notoriety were attractive, the competition was a fantastic opportunity for students to network, meet with representatives of pharmaceutical professional bodies, and to hone their counselling skills and bedside manner.
“For over a decade, the award has been dominated by students from metropolitan-based universities,” Ms Madden said. “But this year, that may all be about to change, with the inaugural NT finals.”
The Pharmacy Student of the Year award is a joint initiative of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and Alphapharm, in collaboration with the National Australian Pharmacy Student Association.
The first NT inaugural regional final for the Pharmacy Student of the Year award will be held at CDU’s Casuarina campus from 4pm to 6pm in Building Blue 1.1.01 on Thursday, March 15. For map details visit: http://www.cdu.edu.au/campuses/maps.htm