Outline

Overview

Foundations of Pharmacy is a broad introduction to the discipline of pharmacy and the roles that pharmacists play in health care as well as the ideas, issues, skills and knowledge base required of a professional pharmacist. A number of topics are introduced but not covered in depth; they will be further developed in subsequent units of study and later years of the degree. Specific skills in research, critical thinking, writing, group work and presenting are developed in the context of activities designed to orient students to their future profession. The intent is that students begin to think and behave as future members of the profession of pharmacy, and reflect upon the attitudes and beliefs that will shape their practice.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	PHAR1811
Academic unit	Pharmacy
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Janet Cheung, janet.cheung@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Written examination	60%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Interprofessional Learning(IPL) Introductory Workshop Workshop activities	0%	Multiple weeks	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Preparation and Participation Class participation and professionalism.	3%	Ongoing	During tutorials
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Pharmacy Resources Quiz 1 Open book quiz. Unlimited attempts.	0%	Week 04	30 minutes 13 questions.
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Statistics Quiz Short release open-book quiz.	5%	Week 06 Due date: 27 Mar 2023 at 23:00	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Community Pharmacy Fieldwork Passport Documenting observations during your 2-hour community pharmacy placement.	2%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2023 at 23:59	~ 500 words with illustrations.
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Pharmacy Resources Quiz 2 Open book quiz	6%	Week 08	30 minutes 15 questions
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	History of Pharmacy Presentation Screencast presentation	17%	Week 10 Due date: 01 May 2023 at 14:00	5 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Pharmacy Resources Quiz 3 Open book quiz	7%	Week 12	30 minutes 17 questions
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Academic Honesty Education Module Online learning module.	0%	Week 13 Due date: 26 May 2023 at 23:00	45-60 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Interprofessional Learning Introductory Workshop: this learning activity will give you first-hand experience working in teams with students from other health disciplines such as nursing and medicine. Workshop attendance and satisfactory completion of assigned pre-work and workshop activities are compulsory to pass PHAR 1811.
Pharmacy Resources Quiz: this is an in-class quiz series which will be open-book. It aims to assess your ability to access, locate and interpret relevant information using key pharmacy reference resources to solve problems. Each quiz will build from the skills gained in the previous quiz.
Statistics Quiz: this is an open-book short release quiz and will consist of a number of questions related to the data analysis lecture and workshop series. The quiz will be released on 20th March 2023. Set aside 1 hour at a time that is convenient for you to attempt the quiz before it is due on Monday 27th March at 11:59 pm. This means your last chance to complete this quiz will be by 10:59 pm on the due date.
History of Pharmacy Screencast Presentation: in this assignment, you will be required to select, research and curate a screencast on a selected topic related to the history of pharmacy.
Community Pharmacy Fieldwork: you will be undertaking a 2-hour placement in a community pharmacy to observe the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy and the role that pharmacists play in ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines.
Community Pharmacy Fieldwork Passport: you will need to complete a passport of activities documenting key observations and notes during your placement.
Academic Honesty Education Module: this is a compulsory education module for all first-year commencing students at this university. It is designed to help you understand and apply strategies to your university work, which will help you act with academic integrity and honesty. Failure to complete this module will result in an RI grade awarded for this unit.
Final exam: The final exam will consist of a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions. Material from all lectures and workshops are examinable. You must obtain a grade of ‘Pass’ in this assessment to satisfy the requirements for this unit of study. If you do not pass this assessment the maximum final grade you can obtain will be 45 FA, regardless of the total raw mark you obtain for the unit of study.

Repeating Students: Exemption from components for students repeating PHAR 1811 will only be granted by the Year co-ordinator/MPharm Program Director for students who achieved a grade of Credit (65%) or above for the relevant components in their previous attempt completed no more than three calendar years prior, and the relevant component has not significantly changed since the student completed it. Applications for exemptions must be made in writing (which includes email) to the unit of study co-ordinator. Students who have been granted a component exemption in writing, together with any consequent change in the weighting of the remaining components in the unit of study, cannot attend the classes for that component and will have their overall mark for PHAR 1811 based upon their performance in the remaining components in the unit of study. Component marks from a previous attempt will not be carried over. The exemption will not become effective until the student has accepted it in writing. Until this time the student must continue to attend all compulsory classes. If an exemption is accepted, the exempted student is not permitted to attend classes for the components for which they have received the exemption.
Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	At HD level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to students who demonstrate the ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding to produce original solutions for novel or highly complex problems and/or comprehensive critical discussions of theoretical concepts.
Distinction	75 - 84	At DI level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the units material. A ‘Distinction’ reflects excellent achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding of the subject to produce good solutions for challenging problems and/or a reasonably well-developed critical analysis of theoretical concepts.
Credit	65 - 74	At CR level, a student demonstrates a good command and knowledge of the unit material. A ‘Credit’ reflects solid achievement and is awarded to a student who has a broad general understanding of the units material and can solve routine problems and/ or identify and superficially discuss theoretical concepts.
Pass	50 - 64	At PS level, a student demonstrates proficiency in the material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory adequately referencing the original source of the work.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late penalties for Groupwork: Non-submission of peer assessment will result in a factor of zero (0) being applied to the non-submitter’s group work mark.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Multiple weeks	Community Pharmacy Fieldwork (Placements will be allocated in week 2 via SONIA, taking place between weeks 3-5)	Placement (2 hr)
Multiple weeks	The Research Process Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Ongoing	Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM)	Online class (1 hr)
Week 01	Introduction to Foundations of Pharmacy Verification Academic Integrity	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 02	Ethics and Professional Oath, Professional Reflective Practice, Data Analysis 1	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 02	Introductory Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	Data Analysis 2, Data Analysis 3, Data Analysis 4	Lecture (3 hr)
	Interprofessional Learning: Introductory Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
	Professional Practice: Confidentiality, Professionalism, Ethics, and Reflection	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	Data Analysis 5, History of Pharmacy 1, History of Pharmacy 2	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 04	Navigating Pharmacy Resources and Critical Thinking	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	History of Pharmacy 3, Pharmacy Resources Masterclass 1, Pharmacy Resources Masterclass 2	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 05	Data Analysis Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	Pharmacy Resources Masterclass 3, Complementary Medicines 1, Complementary Medicines 2 (Q&A)	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 06	History of Pharmacy: Object-Based Learning Workshop at Chau Chak Wing Museum	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 07	Research process 1, Research Process 2, Evidence-based practice	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 07	Complementary Medicines Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	Healthcare System 1, Healthcare System 2, Healthcare System 3	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 09	Medicines Use in Australia, Community Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 10	Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Pharmacy Guild. Pharmaceutical Defence Limited	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 10	History of Pharmacy Screencast Presentations	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 11	The historical context of Aboriginal Health in Australia, Rural Health, Indigenous Health	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 11	Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Pharmaceutical Calculations	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 12	Day in the life of a PICNSW Pharmacist, Day in the life of a Hospital Pharmacist, Day in the life of a Pharmacist in Government & Industry	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 12	Rural and Indigenous Health Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 13	Revision Lecture 1, Revision Lecture 2, History of Pharmacy Showcase,	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 13	Exam Preparation Workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Weekly	Learning independently including pre-work, reports and assignments	Independent study (50 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: In accordance with the Bachelor/ Master of Pharmacy Course resolutions on Attendance Requirements, students must attend a minimum of 85% of workshops (11 of 12 classes) to satisfy attendance requirements for this unit of study. For more information see:

https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health/coursework/pharmacy_rules.shtml

https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health_PG/coursework_mr/pharmacy.shtml

If a tutorial/ lab/workshop is missed due to illness or misadventure, students are to submit a special consideration application along with supporting documentation.

Students arriving more than 10 minutes after the commencement of the laboratory / workshop / placement will be marked as unprofessional, which is a component of the class participation and professionalism assessment.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library Reading List, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Assess and critically evaluate the appropriateness, quality and reliability of sources retrieved in order to arrive at evidence-based conclusions when solving drug problems in pharmacy.
LO2. Apply a systematic reasoning process in researching, synthesising reference sources and using simple descriptive statistical techniques to solve pharmacy-related problems.
LO3. Discuss some of the critical stages in the history of medicine, medicines and pharmacy and understand its implications for contemporary medicine and pharmacy practice
LO4. Explain in general terms, the fundamental characteristics and organisation of the profession of pharmacy, including professional, legal and ethical dimensions of practice that inform patient care.
LO5. Discuss some of the roles played by pharmacists for ensuring the safe and effective provision of medicines and services across Australian health settings.
LO6. Describe the broad structure of the health care system in Australia and the place of medicines within the overall framework.
LO7. Understand general principles of laboratory safety practices and pharmaceutical calculations that underpin simple extemporaneous product preparations.
LO8. Communicate in ways that are effective, in written and verbal forms, for expert and non-expert audiences that are reasonably encountered in the context of pharmacy practice (e.g. patients, doctors and peers).
LO9. Apply writing and referencing techniques to acknowledge sources in way that is appropriate for university study and to avoid plagiarism in all forms.
LO10. Engage in continuous reflection and take responsibility for personal and professional development

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team 3.2. making and prioritising recommendations to manage health, medical and medication needs of patients, including both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies, based on the Quality Use of Medicines Framework and the best available evidence
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team 3.2. making and prioritising recommendations to manage health, medical and medication needs of patients, including both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies, based on the Quality Use of Medicines Framework and the best available evidence
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team 3.14. dispensing medicines safely and accurately in accordance with current legislation, scope of practice, PharmBA Guidelines and other relevant jurisdictional requirements to optimise patient outcomes
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team 3.14. dispensing medicines safely and accurately in accordance with current legislation, scope of practice, PharmBA Guidelines and other relevant jurisdictional requirements to optimise patient outcomes
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 3.15. preparing and supplying extemporaneously compounded medications safely and accurately in accordance with current legislation, scope of practice, PharmBA Guidelines and other relevant jurisdictional requirements
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team
	Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program - 1.4.a. demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction 2.3.a. demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team 3.14. dispensing medicines safely and accurately in accordance with current legislation, scope of practice, PharmBA Guidelines and other relevant jurisdictional requirements to optimise patient outcomes 3.18. assessing ambulatory conditions and recommending appropriate management approaches, including pharmacological, non-pharmacological and referral options where appropriate 3.2. making and prioritising recommendations to manage health, medical and medication needs of patients, including both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies, based on the Quality Use of Medicines Framework and the best available evidence

Performance Outcomes Framework - Australian Pharmacy Council - On successful completion of an approved pharmacy degree program -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.4.a		demonstrating contemporary knowledge and application of legal requirements relating to community and hospital pharmacy practice within their jurisdiction
2.3.a		demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of the roles of pharmacists and other members of the interprofessional collaborative care team
3.14		dispensing medicines safely and accurately in accordance with current legislation, scope of practice, PharmBA Guidelines and other relevant jurisdictional requirements to optimise patient outcomes
3.18		assessing ambulatory conditions and recommending appropriate management approaches, including pharmacological, non-pharmacological and referral options where appropriate
3.2		making and prioritising recommendations to manage health, medical and medication needs of patients, including both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies, based on the Quality Use of Medicines Framework and the best available evidence

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Changes have been made in response to student feedback provided through Unit of Study Evaluations. The flow of lecture and tutorial content have been aligned where possible to maximise learning and application of concepts. Interactive learning approaches have also been integrated into the course for stimulating student interest. Assignments have also been strategically spaced out to account for student workload.

Additional information

Additional costs

Students need to account for the purchase of laboratory safety equipment such as lab coats and safety glasses in addition to transportation costs for attending clinical placements.

Work, health and safety

While verification is not required for undertaking the 2 hour placement in PHAR 1811, it is expected that students will proactively engage in the necessary processes, in compliance with NSW Health, for:

obtaining the required immunisations from their health care provider
completing the working with children check
completing police check

Please refer to the verification pack for further details: https://www.sydney.edu.au/content/dam/students/documents/enrolment/course-requirements/health/nsw-ministry-health-verification-pack.pdf

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PHAR1811: Foundations of Pharmacy

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect