What are the students of pharmacy like now?

F like a fascynat

For over 70% of pharmacists, interest and desire to develop in this field were the motivation to choose a career direction. Pharmaceutical students, who took part in the debate "Pharmacist 2025 - perspective through the eyes of students", organized this year as part of the project "RECEPTA for success in pharmacy" speak about the same motivation. Violetta Rost emphasizes that among herthere are people who would easily get a doctor's degree or a dentistry, but they chose pharmacy. For them, pharmacy is a vocation, a path they have chosen consciously, according to their interests.

And how ambitious

Prospective pharmacists are hungry for knowledge. They do not want to finish their education with the graduation of a master's degree in pharmacy, they also want to train after graduating. Łucja Zielińska, participant in the debate, thinks thatit is necessary to introduce obligatory, standardized training with hard points that every pharmacist would have to acquire in order to develop his knowledge on a regular basis. All the time to move forward, to improve and not be left behind compared to other European countries - it is the goal of these young people.

R how reasonable

Students want changes in Polish pharmacy. They realize, however, that they will not come alone and that there is a need for adequate financial resources to make this possible. They are looking for solutions. To introduce pharmacists to hospital wards, Dorota Kozłowska proposes thatcarry out a pharmacoeconomic analysis, which will illustrate how much the NFZ would gain from such a solution. According to her estimation - a lot.It is enough to take into account the number of erroneous drug regulations and their unwanted interactions. Shortening the time of hospitalization of patients, thanks to appropriate pharmacological care, would reduce the costs incurred by the hospital,says Dorota.

M, how smart

Not everyone can become a pharmacist. There are around 6-7 people willing to study at one place in college. Candidates must pass their matriculation exams in biology and chemistry at an advanced level and obtain at least 70% of their points. And this is just the beginning of the pharmaceutical road. Students for five and a half years make 14 169 hours of theoretical classes (lectures, classes, seminars) and 1 280 hours of practice. These are very demanding studies that can only be completed by hardworking and persistent people.

And how active

In addition to the standard classes implemented as part of the studies, some students engage in additional activities, such as the activities of the Young Pharmacy and the Polish Society of Pharmaceutical Students. They cooperate, make interesting acquaintances, develop their knowledge, organize meetings and lectures related to the topics that interest them. They take part in initiatives that can broaden their horizons. "RECEPTA for success in pharmacy" is one of them. For three years, as part of the project, meetings have been organized that offer lectures and workshops for future pharmacists. This year, students from pharmacy departments from different Polish cities came to Białystok, Wrocław or Warsaw, where project meetings took place. During them, according to the slogan of this year's edition, they discovered their potential. Additionally, ten students were invited to take part in the debate "Pharmacist 2025 - perspective through the eyes of students", where they could share their thoughts on the future of pharmacy. Involvement in a project can be one of the examples confirming their active lifestyle.

C how patient

At the first table in the pharmacy, as well as in the laboratory, patience is the key to the pharmacist's success. Students know that the pharmacy realization of the prescription is only part of his duties. The pharmacist listens to patients' history, responds to their doubts, advises and selects appropriate preparations. Iga Błażejewska says that she is ready for it.Although I talk a lot on a daily basis, I like listening too. I feel that I have a lot of patience and understanding in my relationship
to patients.In the laboratory where new drugs are created or the quality of products is controlled, patience allows us to thoroughly check each one and ensure their high quality.

E how empathic

Future pharmacists emphasize the importance of relationships with another human being in their daily work - a patient or co-worker. People deciding to work in a pharmacy should be open, inquisitive, have communication skills, conduct an interview, and all this in a friendly and caring atmosphere. Iga Błażejewska emphasizes thatpersonal predispositions are very important
in contact with the patient. When we trust him, it will be easier for him to talk about everything that is necessary to provide adequate help. Empathy allows to adjust the way of communication individually to each patient. In addition, thanks to empathy, relations between employees also improve. The ability to look at the situation from the perspective of the other person and to understand her emotions is a valuable skill, regardless of the situation.

U how obliging

The pharmacist is one of the professions considered to be health care. This means that it is not only a profession, but a lifestyle, a vocation that people who decide to be a pharmacist undertake. The participants of the debate declare that the patient's good is the most important for them. Therefore, they repeatedly undertake activities that are not necessarily convenient for them but important for the patient, such as the correction of the prescription. Few people realize that very often, a wrongly written prescription is taken by a pharmacist to the doctor, personally, also after working hours. It is only after getting the right correction that he can spend the medication. Therefore, when patients are in this situation, it is worth appreciating the pharmacist.

T as creative

Despite the hard procedures and guidelines that pharmacists have to follow on a daily basis, there are situations in which they should be carried away by the imagination. I am talking about the processes of creating and improving medicines. To produce more and more new products that will be able to cope more effectively with illnesses, we need heads full of openness and innovation.

And how analytical

Listed as the last but extremely important feature, which is the ability to analyze, is used by pharmacists every day, regardless of the place of work. The pharmacy allows you to prevent the release of drugs that could interact with each other and cause unwanted reactions, in a pharmaceutical company, thanks to the correct analysis and the aforementioned creativity, new, effective drug therapies are created. This feature is extremely important also for those young people who would like to change Polish pharmacy. An accurate summary of what is, finding solutions supported by facts, numbers, and above all, the good of the patient, which will improve the current situation, - all this can mean that in over a dozen years pharmaceutical care will become a good available to all of us.

Who is the ideal pharmacist then? An active fascination of pharmacy, which constantly extends its knowledge, with empathy and patience, refers to other people, and at the same time combines qualities such as creativity and analytical. Have you met such an ideal?