96001 Introduction to Pharmacy
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 96004c Professional Services 1 AND 96003c Pharmaceutics AND 96002c Concepts in Pharmaceutical Sciences AND 96015c Clinical Practice 1
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject equips students with a foundational understanding of pharmacy practice and the pharmacist's role in patient care, focusing on how regulations, professional standards, and ethics shape future responsibilities. Students gain insight into the Australian healthcare system, including legal frameworks and policies for medicine supply and the National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines. Key themes such as determinants of health and illness, health literacy, health promotion, and cultural capability are introduced and further developed in later courses. Learning involves practical application and reflection on the patient experience throughout.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 12. | Critically reflect on own personal and cultural values, beliefs and identity and their impact on professional practice. |
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| 14. | Develop proficiency in collaborative learning by actively engaging with peers, contributing effectively to group discussions and activities, providing constructive feedback, and applying conflict resolution strategies within team learning environments. |
| 15. | Use ethical principles to guide decision-making and ensure ethical provision of healthcare services. |
| 17. | Demonstrate professionalism by ethical behaviour, adhering to codes of conduct, and accountability |
| 18. | Explain the relationships between various components of the Australian health care system and the role of pharmacists in different settings. |
| 19. | Apply the principles of the National Medicines Policy (NMP) to ensure quality use of medicines (QUM) for patients. |
| 20. | Explain the legislation, regulations, standards and guidelines relating to pharmacy and the distribution and use of medicines in Australia. |
| 22. | Identify important determinants of health for individual patients. |
| 24. | Address key influences on a patient's health behaviour. |
| 49. | Integrate knowledge of Indigenous Australian culture and health needs, government policies and practice standards to optimise medication management and improve health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Demonstrate safe and competent operational, interpersonal and clinical skills for the benefit and care of patients and the wider community. (02.01)
- Engage in team undertakings adopting a range of roles in diverse teams, building cohesion and maximising team contributions. (02.04)
- Demonstrate sound ethical, compassionate and respectful patient-focused care, taking responsibility for personal health and wellbeing. (02.05)
- Capably communicate to patients, their families, carers and members of the healthcare team; contribute to wider health education and promotion, choosing and adapting communication modes to address cultural and linguistic diversity. (02.06)
- Represent pharmacy perspectives in multidisciplinary environments, and optimise patient outcomes through self-awareness and acknowledgement of the contributions of other healthcare disciplines. (02.08)
- Integrate into daily practice knowledge of health systems and concerns in national and global communities, with awareness of the social and cultural contexts of health to meet the diverse needs of individuals and communities. (03.07)
- Acquire specialised knowledge and skills to inform professional cultural capability to work effectively with and for, Indigenous Australians across the pharmacy profession. (04.09)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
In this subject, students are required to establish the context for the remainder of the Master of Pharmacy course by identifying the main features of the environment in which pharmacists provide patient care. On completion of this Subject, students will have an understanding of the regulatory, professional and patient factors that will impact their work as pharmacists.
This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
Professional capacity
Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy are client-focused, ethical practitioners with the understanding and
proficiency to be leaders in their profession, capable of effectively researching and communicating solutions in a
global context.
Global citizenship
Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy contribute to society, resolving to undertake those actions and
responsibilities that will enhance their role in local, national and global communities.
Cultural competence
Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy are culturally competent professionals, able to reflect on and explain their
own cultural perspectives, accommodate cultural differences and achieve optimal outcomes through the adoption
of a consultative approach to health care with indigenous Australians and other cultural groups.
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, students will participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies, including lectures, workshops, experiential activities, and feedback that are designed to assist them in understanding the pharmacy profession.
Strategy 1: Lectures
Guest speakers from different pharmacy organisations and businesses, and lectures, workshops, from pharmacy academics underpin the workshop tasks in Introduction to Pharmacy. These lectures will provide the theoretical foundation for keystone focus areas and are paired with workshops. In preparation for these lectures, students will use online resources and will participate in quizzes and group discussions.
Strategy 2: Collaborative and interactive learning in workshops
During the workshops, students will apply the theory to case studies through collaboration, discussion and agreement with their peers to address real practice scenarios and issues. Students will engage in group discussion and oral presentation on a specific topic covered in the subject. Workshop activities will explore the present and future role of pharmacists in the health care system, practising as a pharmacist in different settings, how pharmacists can contribute to the optimisation of health outcomes in different population groups, the regulatory and ethical environment in which they work, and how pharmacist-patient-other health care professionals’ collaboration can enhance health outcomes. Students' collaboration will also take place during the semester while preparing for their group assignment.
Strategy 3: Experiential activities
In and out of class time, students will engage in experiential activities that will allow them to gain understanding of the patient and other health care professionals perspective. Students will explore the experience of being a patient for a week. They will investigate the barriers patients face when taking medications and how pharmacists can contribute to improve the quality use of medicines. With requirements to research an interprofessional collaborative relationship and report on its outcomes, students will gain experience in improving collaboration with other professionals as is required in pharmacy, whilst also supporting their academic, presentation and research communication skills.
Strategy 4: Early and consistent feedback
Structured feedback is provided following the tutorial discussions and during the weekly workshops. The collaborative learning approach utilised in the class will enable ongoing feedback to be provided as areas of learning need is identified. The continuous formative feedback provided during the semester will allow students improve towards their assignments and clinical placements activities.
Content (topics)
In the Master of Pharmacy your considerable knowledge in the biomedical sciences is extended to the skills needed to practise as a health care professional. This Subject introduces you to the profession of Pharmacy, the regulatory environment in which it operates, and the contribution of pharmacists to the health of individuals and populations.
In clinical practice you will need to deal with diverse patients with complex needs, you have to balance the rights and needs of the individual patient, the pharmacy practice in which you are working, and the health care system. This Subject introduces the skills and knowledge you need to practise safely and ethically in the pharmacy environment.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Individual Project (The Patient's Perspective)
| Intent: | The purpose of this task is for students to gain an understanding of the issues and challenges faced by patients when dealing with the health care system: how patients arrange and manage their care, how medical procedures and treatments are funded, and how the pharmacist contributes to improving patients’ health. |
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| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 18, 19, 22 and 24 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.01, 02.05, 02.06 and 03.07 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | The final report should not be longer than 4 pages. |
| Criteria: | Available in Canvas |
Assessment task 2: Group project - Ethics Debate: Ethical dilemmas and legal implications
| Intent: | The purpose of the task is to give students an opportunity to show their understanding of how the pharmacist in different settings contributes ethically and responsibly to patient health outcomes. Students need to apply the laws and policies governing the supply and use of medicines, the National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines, and the Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics for Pharmacists. Students will need to work in groups. Each group will be assigned to a particular ethical dilemma and a particular side (i.e. the proposition or the opposition). Students will need to develop arguments to support the view to which they have been assigned and discuss them in the form of a debate. Students are expected to evaluate their decision and reflect on the outcome achieved. Ethical and legal implications need to be considered. |
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| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 14, 15, 17, 19 and 20 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.01, 02.05 and 03.07 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 20 minutes presentation followed by 10 minutes of discussion and questions |
| Criteria: | Provided via Canvas |
Assessment task 3: Class participation and contribution
| Intent: | To ensure that students fully engage with the subject matter, meaningfully contribute to the learning process, and gauge their development through teacher evaluation. This assessment also reflects the level of engagement with colleagues and tutors. |
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| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24 and 49 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.01, 02.04, 02.05, 02.06, 02.08, 03.07 and 04.09 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | Throughout the length of the Autumn session. |
| Criteria: | Provided via Canvas. |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass this Subject, a minimum grade of 50% must be achieved.
Students are required to attend a minimum of 85% of compulsory classes and submit all assessment tasks.
Required texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)
Additional required readings will be provided via Canvas
Recommended texts
Willis E, Reynolds L, Keleher H editors. Understanding the Australian Health Care System 3e. Sydney: Elsevier Australia; 2016.
Hattingh L, Low J, Forrester K. Australian Pharmacy Law and Practice 2e. Sydney: Elsevier Australia; 2013.