Pharmacy

Pursuing a pharmacy course in the UK would be an excellent choice for international students intrigued by chemistry and the role of medicine in aiding patients with their conditions. Whether it dispensing medication at a local drug store based on a General Practitioner’s prescription or working in a large, intricate hospital environment to ensure doctors, nurses, and patients receive the appropriate guidance and support, a career in pharmacy would be a perfect fit for those passionate about health, disease, and science.

Studying pharmacy typically takes four years, and students will cover topics including pharmacology, biology, physiology, pharmaceutics, chemistry, ethics, and economics. Student job internships inside the sector will teach them the ropes and give them hands-on experience. Modern laboratories will help you hone your abilities with equipment that simulates real-world pharmacy settings, such as pharmaceutical dispensing stations, consultation areas, and computer networks.

Career opportunities in Pharmacy

Pharmacists are very important to the health care system because they ensure patients get the right medicine and dose for their conditions. They also tell patients how to safely use medicines and help them deal with possible side effects.

• Community pharmacy– One of the most popular career paths in pharmacy in community pharmacy. In this role, pharmacists work in local pharmacies to dispense medication doctors or other healthcare professionals prescribe.

They also advise patients on safe medication use, answer any questions, and offer guidance on over-the-counter medications.

• Hospital pharmacy- Another popular career path is hospital pharmacy. In this role, pharmacists work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities to ensure patients receive the correct medication and dosage. They also work closely with doctors and other healthcare professionals to develop treatment plans and manage potential side effects.
• Teaching- Pharmacy graduates can also find work in universities and other educational institutions, where they can do research and teach. This is a great choice for people who want to improve the pharmacy field and teach the next generation of pharmacists.
• Pharmacy Assistant– Assistants assist technicians in a variety of tasks as needed. Prescriptions must be received and distributed, supplies must be ordered to meet departmental needs, and customer questions must be answered. Healthcare facilities have the highest demand for assistants.
• Pharmacy Technician: Pharmacy technicians typically work in two primary areas, hospitals, and community pharmacies, where they play a vital role in ensuring that patients receive the correct dosage and supply of medicine. In pharmacy, technicians can specialise in various roles, including manufacturing, quality control, and clinical trials.

Whether you want to work in a local pharmacy, hospital, pharmaceutical industry, academia, or any other area, a pharmacy career can be challenging and rewarding. With the right skills and qualifications, you can make a difference in patients’ lives and contribute to the healthcare system.

Salary range

• Average starting professional salary: £18,500
• Average starting non-professional salary: £16,800

Source- The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019

Entry requirements in the UK for studying Pharmacy

Pharmacy school is a top academic option for students in the United Kingdom with a passion for medicine and science. The United Kingdom has rigorous standards for admission to its pharmacy programmes.

• Typical International Baccalaureate requirements: 34 points.
• Typical A-levels requirements: AAB.
• Typical IELTS requirements: 6.5 overall, with no lower than 6.0 in any one component.

Work Experience

Some universities require students to have relevant work experience in the healthcare industry, such as working in a pharmacy or hospital. Work experience is essential in providing students with an understanding of the profession and the skills required to work in the industry.

Interviews

Some universities require students to attend an interview before being accepted into the pharmacy programme. In summary, to study pharmacy program in the UK, students must meet the academic requirements, meet the English language requirements, have relevant work experience, and may need to attend an interview. Meeting the entry requirements is the first step to embarking on an exciting and rewarding career in pharmacy.

Study M.Pharm in the UK

The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programme is a four-year integrated degree that allows students to begin their studies at the bachelor’s level, earn their B.Pharm degree, and then earn their M.Pharm degree in just two years.

The programme is classified as an undergraduate degree by UCAS, but students get a master’s upon completion. Certain UK universities offer a 5-year MPharm degree that features two 6-month blocks of practical training.

Prospective students interested in studying pharmacy in the United Kingdom must limit their university choices to those that offer such a programme (PEBC).

Top-ranked Universities for studying Pharmacy

Below, you’ll discover information about the top UK universities for Pharmacy and Pharmacology programmes, as listed in the Guardian University Guide 2023-

University of Strathclyde

The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, takes great pride in its pharmacy degree programmes, which are recognised both nationally and internationally. The Pharmacy programme at the University of Strathclyde, which is ranked third in the United Kingdom, provides students with a solid foundation in both theories and practise.

Pharmacy Courses-

Undergraduate Level:

• Pharmacy (MPharm)

Postgraduate Level (Taught):

• Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice (MSc)
• Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (MSc)
• Clinical Pharmacy (MSc)
• Independent Prescribing (Practice Certificate)
• Pharmaceutical Analysis (MSc)
• Pharmaceutical Quality & Good Manufacturing Practice (MSc/PgDip/PgCert)

Postgraduate Level (Research):

• Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences (Ph.D., MPhil).

University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham, one of the greatest in the Midlands, may be found on the city’s southwestern outskirts. The university’s Pharmacy programmes are consistently among its most popular academic offerings. Thus, their institution is frequently featured on the most authoritative university rankings, such as the abovementioned one.

Pharmacy Courses-

Undergraduate Level:

• Pharmacy MPharm.
• Pharmacy with integrated Foundation Training MPharm.
• Pharmaceutical Sciences BSc.
• Pharmaceutical Sciences with a year in industry MSci.

Postgraduate Level:

• Drug Discovery MSc.
• MSc in Drug Discovery with Industrial Training (two-year).

PhDs:

• Pharmacy Ph.D./MRes course.
• Ph.D. projects.
• Centre for Doctoral Training in Transformative Pharmaceutical Technologies.

University College London (UCL)

Anybody looking into pharmacy school in London should start at University College London. Its exceptional academic offerings, among them Pharmacy, have earned it a stellar reputation over the years and worldwide.

Undergraduate Level:

• Master of Pharmacy (MPharm).
• Pharmacy with Integrated Pre-registration Training MPharm.
• Applications for the MPharm (Pharmacy).

Postgraduate Taught degrees:

• General Pharmacy Practice (Prescribing) PG Cert
• General Pharmacy Practice PG Dip.
• Pharmaceutical Quality and Regulation PG Dip.
• Advanced Pharmacy Practice MSc.
• Clinical Pharmacy, International Practice and Policy MSc
• Clinical Pharmacy, International Practice and Policy with Extended Placement MSc
• Drug Discovery and Development MSc
• Drug Discovery and Pharma Management MSc
• Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics MSc
• Pharmaceutical Formulation and Entrepreneurship MSc
• Pharmaceutics MSc
• Pharmaceutical Research MRes

Postgraduate Research degrees:

• MPhil/Ph.D. and MRes Study

Professional Development (Clinical Practice):

• Clinically Enhanced Pharmacist Independent Prescribing.
• Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians (CMMPT).
• Pharmacy Practice (PG Dip).
• Pharmacy Practice (MSc).
• Biosimilars: From Science to Practice in Cancer Care.

Cardiff University

Cardiff University is widely recognised as the top pharmacy school in the United Kingdom and the greatest institution in Wales. You can rest assured that your child will receive a top-notch education here thanks to the school’s cutting-edge facilities, student-centered curriculum, and, most importantly, its distinguished faculty.

Undergraduate Level:

• Pharmacy (MPharm).

Postgraduate Level (Taught):

• Pharmacist Independent Prescribing
• Cancer Biology and Therapeutics (MSc)
• Clinical Research MSc
• Clinical Pharmacy (MSc/PgDip/PgCert)

Postgraduate Level (Research):

• Drug Delivery and Microbiology (Ph.D./MPhil)
• Medicinal Chemistry (Ph.D./MPhil)
• Pharmacology and Physiology (Ph.D./MPhil)
• Pharmacy (Ph.D./MPhil)
• Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy (Ph.D./MPhil)

University of Manchester

Some of the greatest pharmacy course in the UK may be found at the prestigious University of Manchester‘s Faculty of Biology, Health, and Medicine. A diverse selection of courses and degree plans gives you a lot of leeway in this respect. If you want to advance your resume and show that you are qualified for a job as a Pharmacist, this pharmacy school is the place to get your pharmaceutical degree.

Undergraduate Level:

• Pharmacy (Four-Years) (MPharm).
• Pharmacy with a Foundation Year (five years) (MPharm).

Taught Master’s Degrees:

• Clinical Pharmacy (MSc/PGDip)
• Model-Based Drug Development (MSc)
• Nanomedicine (MSc by Research)
• Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Assurance (PTQA) (MSc)
• Ph.D. with Integrated Master’s (master’s + Ph.D.)

Postgraduate Research:

• Biomedical Imaging Sciences
• Biotechnology
• Cancer Sciences
• Drug Design, Development and Delivery
• Epidemiology
• Inflammation Sciences
• Medical Microbiology
• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Optometry
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Pharmacy Practice
• Primary Care and Health Services Research
• Doctorate in Professional Practice (DProf)
• Ph.D. with integrated master’s (master’s + Ph.D.)

University of Bath

Some of the most impressive Pharmacy course in the UK are offered at the University of Bath‘s Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology. Pursuing a degree in this field at this institution is meant to prepare the path toward a career as a chemist.

Undergraduate Courses:

• Pharmacy MPharm (Hons) – 4 years

Postgraduate Courses:

• Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice – 3 years.
• Clinical Pharmacy Practice (Secondary Care) MSc – 3 years.
• Clinical Pharmacy Practice (Primary Care and Community) MSc – 3 years.
• Drug Discovery MSc – 1 year.
• Pharmacy and Pharmacology Ph.D. – 4 years.
• Pharmacy and Pharmacology Ph.D. – 6 years.
• Doctor of Medicine in Pharmacy & Pharmacology MD – 5 years

Queen’s University Belfast

Pharmacy education at Queen’s University Belfast is highly regarded, and the university is widely recognised as one of the best in the United Kingdom. Because of its excellent reputation and quality, the university attracts students from all over the world who are highly qualified in their fields.

Undergraduate Courses:

• Pharmacy MPharm – 4 years.
• Pharmaceutical Biotechnology BSc.
• Pharmaceutical Sciences BSc.

Postgraduate Taught Courses:

• MSc Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice.
• Advanced Pharmacy Practice (MSc/ PgDip).
• MPhil in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.
• MSc Industrial Pharmaceutics.
• Pharmacy (Ph.D.)

University of Ulster

Northern Ireland is home to yet another reputable educational institution. The University of Ulster‘s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has consistently been named among the top pharmacy schools in the United Kingdom in recent years.

Undergraduate Courses:

• Pharmaceutical Bioscience MSci (Hons)
• Pharmacy MPharm (Hons)

Postgraduate Courses:

• Advanced Pharmacy Practice MSc.
• Pharmaceutical Sciences (Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Science – PgDip/MSc (eLearning).

University of Birmingham

You can become a cutting-edge chemist or pharmaceutical researcher after completing the required coursework at the University of Birmingham‘s School of Pharmacy. This is shown in their clearly articulated course of study, which takes a superb approach to the most recent advances in this area of research.

Pharmacy Courses-

• Pharmacy 4-year MPharm.
• Pharmacy Ph.D./MSc by Research.
• Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing.
• Prescribing: Safe Effective Practice.
• Prescribing: Scientific Principles and Safe Practice

Robert Gordon University

Pharmacy students at Robert Gordon University‘s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences learn about pharmaceutical science and practise from experts in the field. When you graduate from pharmacy school, you will have the intellectual ability to help maintain and improve society’s health care systems.

Pharmacy Courses-

• Applied Biomedical Science BSc (Hons).
• Applied Bioscience BSc (Hons).
• Advanced Pharmacy Practice (PgCert/PgDip/MSc)
• Analytical Science – Drug Analysis and Toxicology (MSc)
• Analytical Science – Environmental Analysis (MSc)
• Analytical Science – Food Analysis, Authenticity, and Safety (MSc)
• Biomedical Science BSc (Hons).
• Food, Nutrition, and Human Health BSc (Hons).
• Forensic and Analytical Science BSc (Hons).
• Biomedical Science (PgCert/PgDip/Msc).
• Clinical Pharmacy Practice (PgCert/PgDip/MSc)
• Clinical Pharmacy Service Development (MSc)
• Pharmaceutical Science (PgCert/PgDip/Msc).
• Pharmacist Independent Prescribing (Practice Certificate)
• Public Health Nutrition (PgCert/PgDip/Msc).
• Pharmacy (MPharm).

Final Words

In conclusion, studying pharmacy in the UK is a great choice for people who want to work in the healthcare field. Pharmacy students in the UK can take part in a variety of things, like research projects, internships, and placements in hospitals and community pharmacies. They can also participate in professional development programmes, attend conferences and seminars, and join pharmacy organisations to expand their networks and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.

Pharmacy students in the UK can participate in various things, like research projects, internships, and placements in hospitals and community pharmacies. They can also participate in professional development programmes, attend conferences and seminars, and join pharmacy organisations to expand their networks and stay up-to-date with industry trends.

In the coming years, skilled pharmacists will be needed because the population is getting older and more people to want health care services.