Program Overview
It integrates science and practice, emphasizing patient-centered care. Graduates qualify for the Foundation Training Year and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council, opening doors to diverse career opportunities in healthcare.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The MPharm Pharmacy program at Liverpool John Moores University is a professionally accredited undergraduate Masters degree designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and professional confidence to become competent, safe, and effective person-centered prescribing practitioners. The program emphasizes the application of science to clinical practice, ensuring students develop a strong understanding of the science-basis for practice and become "experts in medicines."
Objectives:
The program aims to:
- Develop students as key healthcare practitioners with an advanced understanding of the science-basis for practice.
- Foster the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, and values necessary for working in partnership with patients and other healthcare professionals.
- Provide accessible, compassionate, and integrated person-centered care with a focus on enhancing patient outcomes.
- Equip students with the most up-to-date knowledge, practice-relevant skills, and professional confidence to become competent, safe, and effective person-centered prescribing practitioners.
Description:
The MPharm Pharmacy program offers a comprehensive curriculum that integrates science and practice through all aspects of learning and development. Students engage in innovative and high-quality pharmacy teaching, complete placements in community, hospital, and primary care settings, participate in inter-professional learning, patient/public engagement, and practice simulations. The program emphasizes the development of clinical reasoning and skills needed for independent prescribing.
Outline:
Level 4:
- Integrated Foundations of Pharmacy (0 credits): Covers the underpinning sciences (anatomy and physiology, basic principles of pharmacology, cells and biomacromolecules, principles of medicinal chemistry) and patient-focused systems (Blood, Gastrointestinal system, Peripheral Nervous System).
- Research Skills assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student research skills.
- Formulary assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student understanding and early development of a personal formulary.
- End of Year examination paper 1 (30 credits): Synoptic assessment of student learning from year 1.
- End of Year examination paper 2 (30 credits): Assesses student ability to make professional decisions and justify them based on evidence and reasoning.
- Pharmacy skills assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student practice-based skills.
- Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
- Professional Portfolio assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student reflective practice and personal development.
Level 5:
- Formulary Assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student understanding and early development of a personal formulary in year 2.
- Medicines, Patients and the Pharmacist (0 credits): Builds on year 1 topics and includes the Central Nervous System, Cardiovascular system, Respiratory system, and Infection control.
- Research Skills assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student research skills in year 2.
- Person-Centred Care assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student understanding of patient-centered care in year 2.
- End of Year examination paper 1 (30 credits): Synoptic assessment of student learning from year 1 and year 2.
- End of Year examination paper 2 (30 credits): Assesses student ability to make professional decisions and justify them based on evidence and reasoning.
- Pharmacy skills assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student practice-based skills.
- Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
- Professional Portfolio assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student reflective practice and personal development.
- Optional Modules:
- Study Year Abroad - Pharmacy (120 credits): An additional year of full-time study abroad at an approved higher education institution.
Level 6:
- The Complexities of Healthcare (0 credits): Covers Mental Health, Immunology, Endocrine health and disorders, Oncology, and a pharmacy-focused Research Project.
- Research Skills assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student research skills in year 3.
- Person-centred care assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student understanding and demonstration of patient-centered care in year 3.
- Formulary assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student understanding and ongoing development of a personal formulary in year 2.
- End of Year examination paper 1 (30 credits): Synoptic assessment of student learning from years 1, 2, and 3.
- End of Year examination paper 2 (30 credits): Assesses student ability to make professional decisions and justify them based on evidence and reasoning.
- Pharmacy skills assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student practice-based skills.
- Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
- Professional Portfolio assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student reflective practice and personal development.
Level 7:
- Advancing Person-Centred Care (0 credits): Focuses on integrating learning and skills from years 1 to 3 to consider the patient as a whole, further developing skills in providing person-centered care.
- Research Skills assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student research skills in year 4.
- Person-centred care assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student understanding and demonstration of patient-centered care in year 4.
- Prescribing Formulary assessment (20 credits): Focuses on student further developing and using their personal formulary as part of their prescribing skills in year 4.
- End of Year examination paper 1 (30 credits): Synoptic assessment of student learning from years 1, 2, 3, and 4.
- End of Year examination paper 2 (30 credits): Assesses student ability to make professional decisions and justify them based on evidence and reasoning.
- Pharmacy skills assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student practice-based skills.
- Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
- Professional Portfolio assessment (0 credits): Focuses on student reflective practice and personal development.
Assessment:
Assessment methods vary depending on the modules but typically include a combination of exams and coursework. Coursework may include:
- Pharmaceutical care plans for fictional patients
- Development of medicines formularies
- Preparation and delivery of research seminars
- Viva voce examinations to assess awareness and understanding of practice The program also includes assessments to ensure students meet minimum expectations for competence in various skills at each level of study. This includes clinical examinations of patients and practical exams to ensure students can perform core duties of a pharmacist under UK law and meet the expectations and Professional Standards of the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Teaching:
The program adopts an active blended learning approach, combining face-to-face and online learning. Teaching methods include:
- Structured online learning
- Lectures
- Interactive workshops
- Practical laboratory and clinical practice sessions
- Small-group tutorials
- Seminars
- Professional placements The program makes full use of innovative learning enhancement practices, such as interactive patient communication/clinical assessment mannequins and virtual patient technology during clinical simulation workshops.
Careers:
The MPharm qualification is the first step towards qualification as a pharmacist in the UK. Graduates must undertake a Foundation Training Year in practice and be successful in a national registration assessment to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Once registered, pharmacists can work in various branches of pharmacy, including:
- Hospitals
- Health centers
- Community pharmacies
- Drugs development industry
- University-based research
Other:
- The program is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
- Students have access to the Avril Robarts library, which provides resources to support their studies.
- The university offers a range of support services, including a dedicated personal tutor, study skills support, a Disability Support Coordinator, an EDI Coordinator, and a School EDI Working Group.
- The Go Citizen Scheme can help with costs towards volunteering, individual projects, or unpaid placements anywhere in the world.
Home full-time per year:
£9,250
International full-time per year:
£18,250 All figures are subject to yearly increases. Tuition fees are subject to parliamentary approval.
