Pharmacy Placements

On your pharmacy placement in Takoradi, you’ll spend time in a pharmacy department that supplies all medication to an entire regional hospital. The department even has its own small-scale drug manufacturing facilities to keep up with the demand. Life in the dispensary is very different from the UK. Resources are limited, and labeling involves writing directions (by hand) directly onto medicine boxes. There is no database to check for drug interactions, so this all done manually. You can also see how traditional herbal medicine is integrated into some of the more modern pharmaceutical solutions. Read stories from those who’ve already travelled with us to Takoradi.

On your pharmacy placement in Hue, you’ll see just how much of an impact a lack of funding has on drug supplies. Some medicines have limited stocks and others are impossible to obtain, even basic analgesics that we take for granted in the UK. There isn’t much local pharmacists can do about this, other than prescribe less effective alternatives, or nothing at all — not good news if you’re a patient. Vietnamese traditional medicine aims to fill some of the gaps, so you’ll see how traditional approaches are used alongside the more contemporary medicines you’re used to in the UK.

In Nepal's evolving healthcare landscape, pharmacy is making positive strides, including the recruitment of skilled pharmacists and the growth of academic pharmacy programs. While challenges like unclear career paths and retention issues persist, there are lucrative sales opportunities in electronic patient record systems, prescriber order entry systems, hospital software, automation technology, quality assurance consulting, and partnerships with academic institutions. The placement will provide exposure to all areas of the hospital including outpatient departments, wards, emergency, operating theaters, and the dispensary. Students will learn about the availability of medications, the use of traditional medicine, the role of pharmacists, pharmacy education, the use of generic drugs, and the regulation and licensing of pharmacies in Nepal.  Read stories from those who’ve already travelled with us to Kathmandu.

If you do your pharmacy placement in Iloilo, you’ll be rewarded with insight into a unique system completely different from the NHS. This is a specialised placement and you can rotate through six separate pharmacy outlets, gaining practical experience in each. There’s a real lack of digital equipment right across the hospital. For the pharmacy department (and for you), that means writing documentation by hand. You’ll also see just how creative and resourceful local staff have to be as they cater to hundreds of prescriptions everyday with minimal resources. What’s more, family members have to come to the pharmacy to buy all medications, fluids, needles and other devices before they can be used on patients. Read stories from those who’ve already travelled with us to Iloilo.