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Young Pharmacists in Australia
Alison Roberts
 A young pharmacist Down Under isn’t likely to feel alone or alienated. The
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s New South Wales Young Pharmacists Group
was reestablished in 1999 to provide support to group members.
Alison Roberts has worked as a community pharmacist in Sydney, Australia for
the past six years and is chairman of the NSW Young Pharmacists Group and a
counselor of the national organization.
Roberts’ pharmacy belongs to a group called "Pharmacist Advice."
A key feature of the group is to practice "forward pharmacy," which
means that a pharmacist sits down, in front of the dispensary, with each patient
who comes in with a prescription and provides counseling. The pharmacist is also
available in the pharmacy to consult on minor ailments and over-the-counter
medicines. This mode of practice is professionally very satisfying. Most
importantly, the patients really like the interaction they have with the
pharmacist who is no longer hidden behind a counter!
Roberts’ passion for community pharmacists to be recognized as key members of
the health care team lead her to become active in the professional organization.
She is also currently undertaking a PhD investigating practice change in
community with focus on the implementation and dissemination of cognitive
pharmaceutical services that benefit the public.
Objectives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s NSW Young
Pharmacists Group include:
1. Providing a forum for young pharmacists in all areas of practice and
in all areas of NSW to share their ideas and concerns via an e-network or at
monthly meetings;
2. Providing opportunities for young and new pharmacists to meet
members of their profession at social and educational events;
3. Producing innovative resources and reference materials of specific
relevance to young or new pharmacists (e.g. the new Pharmacist’s Diary);
4. Having a young pharmacist representative on the PSA NSW branch
council, on each of the branch’s taskforces, and on conference planning
committees.
5. Working together with the council and the taskforces to address the issues
of PSA membership and involvement of young pharmacists;
6. Working together with conference planning committees to develop
programs (or sections thereof) that are of interest to young pharmacists.
Monthly meetings of the PSA NSW YPSIG are held on the fourth Monday of each
month. Notices of each meeting are e-mailed to YP Special Interest Group
(YPSIG) members prior to the meeting date. The YP Committee welcomes and
encourages all special interest group members to attend these meetings or to
make contributions via e-mail should they be unable to attend due to distance
or other reasons.
It’s free to join the YPSIG e-network as long as pharmacists are members of
PSA. As a pharmacist new to the profession or a pharmacy student, we value the
input and feedback on a wide range of subjects from professional practice
issues through to social functions for pharmacists. The PSA NSW YPSIG aims to
provide a forum for discussion and also to keep you informed about the latest
events.
There are also active YP groups in at least two other states of Australia:
Victoria and South Australia.
For more information, visit our newly updated website at: www.fip.org
Young Pharmacists' Group Article Archive
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