Hi! Final year pharmacy student at Bath here.
First of all, the regulatory body for pharmacy (the GPhC) has very strict standards for the MPharm degrees provided at each university. This means that, regardless of which university you study at, every pharmacy student should qualify with the same knowledge. This can be delivered in different ways throughout the degree but the end goal is the same. Employers are aware of this so you are likely to find employment regardless of where you choose.
That being said, the courses will differ in their structure. For example, my university structures the content into modules covering each body system. However, I’ve heard of others having a more subject-based structure, e.g. pharmacology module, therapeutics module etc. This can be checked on the universities’ websites. Here is the one for Bath:
Pharmacy at the University of BathThe courses will also differ based on the teaching style. By this I mean the courses may have different proportions of lectures versus seminars or practicals. At Bath we have a mixture, with semesters starting as more lecture-heavy and over time spending more time in seminars to consolidate learning from the lectures.
The frequency and quality of placements will also differ. At Bath we have a strong network of placement providers in the South West, as one of the few pharmacy schools in this region. Placements are integrated throughout the degree in all the major sectors of pharmacy. As well as clinical placements, we also have the opportunity to study abroad for our master’s thesis, which I am currently carrying out in Helsinki, Finland.
You could use subject league tables as a rough guide (for example
The Complete University Guide or
The Guardian), but they tend to contradict each other and don’t always differentiate between pharmacy and pharmacology. Overall, I’d say look at the course websites for each university that interests you to decide which is most fitting for you. If you commit to learning, you should become a good pharmacist regardless of where you choose.
Let me know if you have any more questions I can help with 😊
Lauren,
University of Bath.