Have some burning questions about NUS Pharmacy? We hope this FAQs page helps to answer your questions. (:

· ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
· STUDENT-RELATED
· CAREER PROSPECTS AND INCOME
· PHARMACY COMPARED TO OTHER RELATED COURSES

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Q: What are the lowest and highest grades that make it into Pharmacy?
A: For JC students, you all can view the statistics here.

For polytechnic students, the sample size is too small to be representative of the intake. Ultimately it still depends on how well your cohort did so do not let the statistics deter you from trying for pharmacy!

Q: What kind of diploma must I hold in order to enter Pharmacy?
A: There are no specific entry requirements for diploma holders as sample size is too small to determine. If you wish to know if you can apply for pharmacy with your diploma, please refer to this website.

However, if you’re interested and you’re holding a diploma that has some relation to Pharmacy, you are welcome to give it a go!

Q: How many students does Pharmacy accept each year?
A: Every year, the cohort size increases because pharmacists are in demand now. The current Year 1 batch had 149 students at the start of the academic year.

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STUDENT-RELATED

For coursework, it is a mixture of Biology and Chemistry-based subjects, but concentrating slightly more on Chemistry.

Q: What does the pharmacy curriculum encompass?
A: Besides just factual knowledge, there are preceptorship programs during the semester breaks after Year 2 and Year 3 for a hands-on experience of pharmacy practice in the hospital and community pharmacy settings.

For more information on the modules covered please refer to the NUS pharmacy website’scourse description.

Q: How is life like as a Pharmacy student?
A: The pharmacy cohort is small, so it easy to network with your classmates and seniors. This is good for your career as you’ll be working with these people with whom you have already forged close friendships.

Q: Can Pharmacy students do USP?
A: Yes, but Pharmacy is already a rigorous programme by itself and therefore, students considering taking USP should be able to cope with the additional workload.

USP students take a different set of 8 electives which is the equivalent of the GEMS, SS and Unrestricted Electives that a pharmacy student takes. However, they have to fulfil this extra part-Advanced Curriculum, which can take in the form of any 4 of the following: level 3000 UROPS, Newly-designed Independent Study Module (ISM) (a module they design themselves and get 4 MCs for it!), Group ISM, Ride-on ISM, Course-Based Module, OR NOC experience. Also, some of the first-tier modules can also be a bit more intensive than the normal elective modules available because USP students have to submit papers and do projects, which makes it harder to score.

However, being in USP also means you are in the Faculty of University Scholars Programme (dual-citizenship status). You get updates on the different career opportunities, scholarships, opportunities to go for symposiums in Harvard, Yale, and prestigious universities (all these are exclusive to USP students but the fact is that the timetable is too packed for us to go for all these)

Q: Can Pharmacy students take a minor?
A: The Pharmacy curriculum is already very tight. We advise that students in the Pharmacy programme do not take a minor.

However, Pharmacy students who embark on the NOC (NUS Overseas College) programme will spend a full calendar out of the Pharmacy programme after year 3 and return to complete the 4th year in Pharmacy. Under this situation, Pharmacy students have graduated with a minor in Technopreneurship; however, students will need to spend 5 years of study.

Q: Can Pharmacy students go on exchange?
A: Pharmacy students cannot go on semester exchange but can go for summer programmes during the holidays. Pharmacy exchange programmes are mainly organized by the International Relations Committee of the NUS Pharmaceutical Society, and not the NUS Overseas Programme.

Q: Is it recommended to go for Special Term?
A: Special Term before matriculation is open to males who have just completed NS. For females who wish to enrol for Special Term, they must wait for the next round which is after their first year. Special Term allows you to integrate into the system earlier and know the campus before your peers enter. You can also clear some of your module credits, but you can only take general modules that are non-Pharmacy related. Special Term is adopts a pay-by-module system. It is up to individuals whether they feel it’s beneficial for them.

Q: What scholarships can Pharmacy students apply for?
A: Currently the more popular scholarship providers for pharmacy students are from the Ministry of Health as well as hospitals. You can refer to their respective websites for more information.

You can also choose to apply for the NUS scholarships which are for all courses. More information about Scholarships can be found on the Office of Admissions website.

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CAREER PROSPECTS AND INCOME
Disclaimer: the list is non-exhaustive

Q: If I graduate with a degree in pharmacy, does that mean I can only work at Guardian?
A: This is a stereotype by the community that pharmacists are only found in retail stores such as Guardian. In actual fact career opportunities for pharmacists are abundant and diversified. There are two broad areas of practice, namely patient care practice and non patient care practice. Depending on your interests and capabilities, you may develop your career in either area.

As a registered pharmacist, you may go into patient care, which is to work in hospitals, community pharmacies or polyclinics. Alternatively, those who wish to enter the pharmaceutical industry immediately upon graduation may also do so without completing the pre-registration training. Opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry include pharmaceutical manufacturing, product registration, product development, sales and marketing of pharmaceuticals and clinical trials.

For more details about other career paths and options please visit the department site’s “Being a Pharmacist” page or the Singapore Pharmacy Council website.

Q: If I choose Pharmacy, will my career prospects be limited to pharmacy-related jobs?
A: Pharmacy is a professional degree, which means that we will eventually hold a Pharmacist’s License, entitling us to highly-specialised jobs that only someone with a pharmacy degree can do. Alternatively you can also choose to pursue something that a general degree entitles you as well so our career prospects are highly diversified. So in fact having a professional pharmacy degree entitles you to additional jobs compared to a general degree holder!

Q: If we do Pharmacy in NUS (locally), what are my career prospects abroad?
A: If you still wish to base yourself in Singapore but explore overseas opportunities, areas such as marketing and research will give you more chances to go abroad to collaborate with foreign pharmacists.

If you wish to base yourself in another country, you will need to check with the respective pharmacy board of that country if there are any criteria to be fulfilled.

Q: Conversely, if we have an overseas Pharmacy degree, will we be able to work as a pharmacist in Singapore?
A: The Pharmacy Council is to conditionally register a pharmacist who holds a prescribed qualification in pharmacy conferred by a tertiary institution outside Singapore, or any other relevant qualification which in the Council’s opinion is not lower in standing than the prescribed qualifications. These pharmacists will work under the supervision of a fully registered pharmacist for a certain period of time. On successfully completing the period of supervision, the pharmacist may apply to the Council to be fully registered.

This website gives an overview of the various overseas pharmacy qualifications that the Singapore Pharmacy Council recognizes.
These are the following options:
-Pharmacologist
-PharmD
-Pharmacy Specialist

Pharmacists have to possess post-graduate qualifications recognised by the pharmacy Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB) and also undergo formalised experiential training in order to be registered as specialists. Pharmacists who fulfil all requirements set by the pharmacy SAB to be registered as specialist pharmacists will be registered as such. A specialist pharmacist must fulfil prevailing CPE requirements in order to maintain his/her registration status.

The pharmacy SAB recognises the specialty of Oncology, specialty of Pharmacotherapy and specialties of Geriatrics and Psychiatry.

NUS Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology Programme
Prospective students who are already working or aspiring to enter the pharmaceutical industry are invited to apply for enrolment in this programme. Currently, the programme is only available in part-time mode and students are allowed to complete the course in four semesters.

Upon graduation, the graduates are capable of contributing in various aspects of pharmaceutical industry, ranging from manufacturing, processing, formulation, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance of pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products.
The graduates will be equipped with knowledge and skills in formulating and processing of chemical and biological drugs into various pharmaceutical dosage forms; in addition, they will be familiar with the regulatory and quality compliance of pharmaceutical products.

For more info please visit this site

PhD
A PhD is in distinctively different from a PharmD. A PhD is a research based programme whose content is dependent on where it is pursued. It can be in specific areas of medicine such as pharmacology, immunology or broader range areas such as biomedical programmes. Some pharmacy graduates did choose this path which brought them to different places around the world!

Read more about it here.

Q: How is the pay like for a fresh graduate?
A: For a fresh graduate, he or she has to undergo pre-registration training before registering as a pharmacist with the Singapore Pharmacy Board. During the pre-registration training, the pay will be lower. As a registered pharmacist, you’ll start with about 2.5k – 3k. Pay will vary according to the class of your honours, as well as which sector you’re working in. In the sales sector, starting pay might be lower but if your performance is good, your wages will also increase. Range is quite big. It will definitely be higher than a general degree. If you truly have a passion for Pharmacy, pay should not be an issue.

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PHARMACY COMPARED TO OTHER RELATED COURSES

Q: What makes NUS Pharmacy more special as compared to other science degrees?
A: A science degree would be more research-based and more general in nature. A pharmacy degree is a professional degree which entitles the holder the privilege to career opportunities that are not made available to a science degree holder. Some examples are dispensing medicine, pharmaceutical sales and marketing.

Q: What is the difference between Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences?
A: To study Pharmacy you will need to first build a strong foundation in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Pharmaceutical Sciences deals with the scientific basis of the physical, chemical, biological and the medical aspects of the medicines. Advancement in Pharmaceutical Sciences will impact the practice of Pharmacy.

Q: What are the differences between Pharmacy and Medicine?
A: Doctors have a more in-depth knowledge of the human body and are more geared towards clinical practice and diagnosis, while for pharmacists, we are more well-verse in drug knowledge. However, both careers are still patient-centered.