Introduction
Pharmacists ensure the safety, and quality of the medicines we use. They also optimise health outcomes by contributing to selecting, prescribing, monitoring and evaluating medicine therapy, and researching, testing and developing pharmaceuticals and medical products. Demand for pharmacists increases by nearly 200% from 2019 to 2020, and then have remained higher due to the increase in the health issue. This shows the high employability of good quality Pharmacy graduates in Australia.
Why study Pharmacy in Australia?
- High-ranking universities
Australian universities are well-known for their teaching quality, and their qualifications are recognised worldwide. According to QS Ranking 2021, there are six universities listed among the world’s Top 100 providing Pharmacy degrees in Australia, with Monash University ranked 2nd in the world for Pharmacy.
- Easier Entry Requirements & Course Duration
Compared to other countries, it may be easier to meet entry requirements for Pharmacy degrees in universities in Australia. Also, a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy takes four years of full-time study to complete and the Master’s degree is two years, which may be shorter than some universities from different countries.
- Diverse career areas
The Pharmacy Career Guide, published by the Australian Pharmaceutical Association, stated that community pharmacies for new graduates were the most popular career option in recent years. There are many job positions such as pharmacy assistants and pharmacy stock controllers. In addition, Pharmacy offers a variety of career options in not only traditional environments such as a local pharmacy or hospital pharmacy, but also in non-traditional environments.
- Opportunity for Permanent Residency (PR)
Although pharmacists are not on the MLTSSL (Medium- and Long-Term Strategic Skills List), qualified pharmacists may be able to immigrate to Australia by applying for a State Nomination Visa (190/491) or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (494 visa).
Career outcomes after graduation
- Hospital Pharmacist
- Industrial Pharmacist
- Retail Pharmacist
Course Options
- Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) – 4 years
- Master of Pharmacy – 2 years
Entry Requirements
- For the Bachelor’s course, normally applicants are required to have completed Year 12 or a Diploma course and attained IELTS Academic 7.0 (with no sub-score less than 6.5). Most universities require prerequisites such as Chemistry, Biochemistry or Mathematical methods.
- For the Master’s course, normally applicants are required to have completed a Bachelor’s degree and attained IELTS Academic 6.5-7.0 (with no sub-score less than 6.5-7.0). Most universities require prerequisites such as Chemistry, Biology, or Mathematics.
Professional Accreditation
For most universities in Australia, their pharmacy degrees are accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC). Students will be eligible to register as a pharmacist if they successfully complete their studies at an accredited school.
Expected salary as a Pharmacist in Australia
According to Job Outlook, full-time workers on an adult wage earn around AU$1,862 per week, which is very high compared to the average salary of AU$1,460. The annual salary is approximately AU$96,800 per year. Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
School Recommendations
Bachelor’s Level
- Monash University
- University of Sydney
- University of Queensland
- Griffith University
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
- University of South Australia (UNISA)
Master’s Level
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
- Griffith University
- University of Sydney
- University of Canberra
- Curtin University
- University of Western Australia
Interested in studying Pharmacy in Australia?
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