The aim of the event was to enhance the students’ understanding of Pharmacy as a discipline, outline the UCC Pharmacy degree programme and inform students who may be considering a career in Pharmacy or the Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The key message delivered to the students is that Pharmacy is a scientific discipline operating within a healthcare arena, which allows graduates to practice in clinical, industrial, management or research fields. Students’ feedback included surprise at this breadth of possibility and also excitement at exposure to “new” subjects including Pharmacology, Clinical Practice, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutics.
Explanation of the course content included short interactive lectures on selected topics within each discipline; “symptom and response” Clinical sessions along with practical hands-on laboratory periods. Aspirin was synthesised in the Pharmaceutical Chemistry laboratory; tablets were prepared in the Pharmaceutics laboratory and Clinical Practitioners over saw the production of an ointment - including the challenge of tube filling! In the Clinical Practice area, the pharmacist as a key member of the health care team was emphasised.
Current undergraduate and postgraduate students mixed informally with the group at break times and also presented their own experiences at UCC in order to add a personalised flavour to the event.
Head of School, Professor Anita Maguire expressed her delight at the notable enthusiasm from the students and the diversity of secondary schools represented within the group. She also thanked the School staff for a strong team effort in presenting the event and indicated that the School would envisage this Open Day becoming an annual event.
Feedback from participants included descriptions of “informative and fun” and requests to repeat the event in future years.
Picture: Sinéad Liddy, 6th year student, St. Caimin's Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare
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