Do you feel equipped with all the skills you need for the real pharmacy world?

Studying pharmacy is both challenging and rewarding. From pharmacology, to pharmaceutics, to human biology, there’s so much to explore and absorb as you go through your degree. However, as with any degree vs. career choice, you may find there are little nuances and skill gaps when it comes to taking up your first full time role in pharmacy.

One of the biggest challenges you may find as a newly qualified pharmacist is understanding the business landscape, which encompasses and requires skills such as communication, teamwork, management, time optimisation, leadership and financial astuteness.

Pharmacist and Consultant Deborah Evans says: “I feel that business skills are lacking in pharmacy and with the world changing rapidly and becoming more uncertain and ambiguous, individuals in all sectors need to be more equipped to deal with these challenges.”

We have spoken to Deborah and Anshu Kaura, a GP based pharmacist, who both reflect on their experiences of graduating, compared to their first full time role and their current careers. 

Recollections of first full-time pharmacy role…

LloydsPharmacy and GP based pharmacist Anshu Kaura recounts her time as a student: “I studied at Kings College London 2007-11, and at that time there were no specific business modules offered as part of the degree.

“When working in pharmacy, I had to develop business focused customer skills as I went. These included first impressions, relationship building and handling complaints.  These topics aren’t generally covered in formal education, but are vital skills for ensuring a positive customer experience, which in turn allows the business to compete and be effective within the community.”

Although it may be a challenge to study business skills on top of a science-based degree, reading up (even if light touch!) on what you need to know and considering how you can up-skill yourself in certain areas could pay dividends in your first role.

Pharmacist and Consultant Deborah Evans shares here experience: “I still remember how it felt to be ‘thrown in at the deep end’ in my first manager role after qualifying. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and yet I was managerial pharmacist role and leading a very experienced pharmacy team!”

“Starting a new role without awareness of the commercial realities of business can make it more stressful and as such, aside from learning to be a good pharmacist, and all that entails, there will be a steep learning curve on the business side.”

What are the main challenges?

Deborah and Anshu cite confidence, financial understanding, communication and time management as some of the biggest challenges in pharmacy, telling us a little more about the key ones.

Financial Pressures

With the economy under pressure, it’s clear that independent business are struggling, which does include pharmacy. Anshu explains: “Media coverage of store closures and redundancies has highlighted the financial pressures on pharmacy, everyone is aware of these pressures from top down.  There is certainly a need for business skills in pharmacy, as pharmacists will need to play a role in making the business more viable, helping to alleviate these pressures.”

Confidence

If you’re confident and proactive in your role, you can overcome any challenge, and it’s important to remember that you will learn the business skills needed on the job.Deborah comments: “One of the main challenges is likely to be confidence to apply the knowledge that they have spent 4 years acquiring, and communicating effectively to patients and team colleagues.” Anshu echoes this: “Newly qualified pharmacists are clinically very strong due to the recent up to date training completed, yet they may not radiate this confidence in practice.” 

Time management

Anshu explains: “As a pharmacist you are responsible for the safe and effective running of the pharmacy.  There are dispensing tasks, customer queries, telephone queries, service provisions and other administrative tasks which need to be completed.  Managing your time and confidently delegating tasks that can be completed by your team is a skill that is acquired with time.”

What is the solution?

If there are gaps in the business knowledge of pharmacy students, how can these be minimised in future, and what resources are available for qualified pharmacists now?

Deborah Evans shares: “If not already provided, university courses could include core business modules for everyone that could include management, leadership, communications skills, finance and marketing.

“These skills are relevant for all pharmacy students regardless of the sector they choose to work in following graduation. Additionally, universities could partner with businesses, potentially outside the pharmacy sector, to expose students to a broader understanding of the commercial realities.”

“Newly qualified pharmacists might also feel more confident entering a new role if they have been exposed to learning about how a business works, basic leadership and management skills, and how to operate well within an organisation.”

Over the coming months, the landscape of pharmacy will be different to many students’ expectations. For newly qualified pharmacists entering pre-registration, possibly early, it will be a challenge to adapt their skills within the context of an ongoing pandemic.

With this, it is important that newly qualified pharmacy professionals start their career feeling prepared with an understanding of the commercial aspects of pharmacy.

Both Anshu and Deborah have also take a pro-active role in supporting pharmacy teams with their business skills and have contributed to a brand new ‘Business Skills for Pharmacists’ module from the No.1 brand sold through UK Pharmacy[1], Care.

Business Skills for Pharmacists is accessible via Care’s app: Ultimate Guide To Care, and contains tips on topics such as leadership skills, time management, patient communication, stock management and financial processes. This app is for healthcare professionals.

[1] For verification please write to Thornton & Ross Ltd, HD7 5QH

This publication is sponsored by Care.