BPharm4 Student Sorcha Cronin Visits the University of Coimbra, Portugal as Part of the Twinnet Mobility Programme
In early March, BPharm4 student Sorcha Cronin spent several days in Portugal as part of the European Pharmaceutical Students Association (EPSA) Twinnet Mobility Programme.
Eight Irish pharmacy students (two from TCD, four from RSCI, one student from the new pharmacy programme based in NUIG and UCC’s BPharm4 student Sorcha Cronin) comprised the Irish contingent, in addition to two Twinnet Coordinators.
On the first day of their visit, the group spent the day exploring Porto before their transfer to Coimbra. The University of Coimbra is the oldest university in Portugal, founded in 1290. The university has many traditions which the delegation learned about during their time there. These include ´Praxe’ (a sort of initiation for first-year students of the university) and an academic uniform that students wear on special occasions called a ´Traje académico’, which was the inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s uniforms that students wore in Harry Potter!
The delegation also had the opportunity to visit the University of Coimbra’s Faculty of Pharmacy where they attended a lecture on nitric oxide signalling in the brain by Professor Joao Laranjinha. They were given a tour of a local community pharmacy in Coimbra, learning about the differences in practice between Portugal and Ireland. The community pharmacy staff discussed that pharmacists in Portugal, like in Ireland, are eager to expand their clinical roles and were interested to hear about the new Irish Common Conditions Service (CCS).
The student group also visited the Bluepharma Pharmaceutical Plant. This is a Portuguese owned company whose headquarters are in Coimbra. They learned about the company, medicinal products they produce and got a tour of the factory lines. They also spoke to a company pharmacist who oversees sustainability at the Bluepharma plant.
Sorcha noted that the visit was a hugely enjoyable experience, not only to learn about Pharmacy in Portugal but to have a chance to connect with other pharmacy students from around Ireland.