Internships, Education Innovations, advice from recent graduates, Student Reports and Perspectives, as well as Career Paths

Pharmacy is a department that has a career path that is not long but the struggle is quite heavy. In the third year, pharmacists will do an internship before facing PKPA (Pharmacist Professional Study Program) for several universities. Internships in Pharmacy include hospitals and industries. They will offer an internship in the form of Pharmaceutical Care, namely giving counseling to patients, monitoring the progress of patient disease, educating patients in order to self-medication (self treatment), giving advice on therapeutic treatment programs, and replacing generic drugs with other substances the same is active, previously only oriented to the management and sale of drugs. So, a pharmacist at drugstore and hospital must understand the difference between generic drugs and patent drugs. Meanwhile, the Pharmaceutical Industry has two types, namely primary industry which focuses on the discovery of new drug ingredients and secondary industries that focus on processing raw materials into finished products. In Indonesia, the pharmaceutical industry is more focused on secondary industries with broader job offers, for example producers, QC (Quality Control) who work in product quality control to fit the intended use, QA (Quality Assurance) that works in ensuring quality products validated or certified, and distributor.

Taken from : https://www.123rf.com/photo_36405012_focused-pharmacist-writing-on-clipboard-at-the-hospital-pharmacy.html (left), https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/5-jobs-in-pharmaceuticals (right)

Pharmacy education has undergone various innovations, especially in the clinical field, namely with the existence of Health Communication like a doctor because in developed countries, pharmacists are more often face to face with patients than doctors in accordance with the nine star pharmacist: communicator. This is due to the knowledge of the use of drugs, the composition, dosage, and effect of drugs in the body are more studied by pharmacists in accordance with the nine star pharmacist: teacher. Many innovations are achieved in pharmaceutical learning, for example the block system used by the Pharmacy of the University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) and taught by practitioners directly from the well-known pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia. Then, still in the Special Province of Yogyakarta (DIY), precisely at the Pharmacy of the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) has special interest in the field of natural raw materials such as herbal medicine. Not only that, further east like the Pharmacy of Airlangga University in Surabaya has included the Pharmacist Study Program as a Study Program that is mandatory to be continued by Pharmacy Graduates and more oriented to drug service to patients. Pharmacy universities that bear the name 'Indonesia' behind it have an integrated learning curriculum with other Health Faculties in the Health Sciences Cluster because of the interprofessional collaboration adoption that has been applied in Western countries.

Carrying the title ‘graduate’ Bachelor of Pharmacy is not easy. Pharmacy is like any other health worker, which cannot be measured by anything or loved only because of a large salary. Most pharmacists in Indonesia do not have a passion in the field of pharmacy, so it is not surprising that many who quickly leave Pharmacy or only hold the title 'Apt.' but never serve patients at drugstores or hospitals. Pharmacy graduates advised that not only pursue a large salary, but also serve as a doctor. This is due to the huge responsibility of pharmacists in measuring the accuracy and precision of drugs that will affect the survival of patients. Pharmacists who carry out responsibility are attached to a meticulous and diligent image so that they not only have to work in the world of drugstores and hospitals, but also in industry, government, and even banking because pharmacy is not only about medicine, but also medicinal raw materials, natural ingredients, medicines traditional, cosmetics, even pharmaceutical products that are often used by the community because every product must have chemicals contained in it.

Graduates of Bachelor of Pharmacy have several stories of struggle to graduate that are not easy. A pharmacist candidate must face various theories and practicums especially in the fields of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. In fact, pharmacist candidates also study management which belongs to the nine star pharmacist: leader and entrepreneurship which belongs to the nine-star pharmacist : entrepreneur. Lectures at Pharmacy have several practicum which becomes a separate subject with varied load. For major practicums such as Pharmacics alone can have a load of 3 credits which means spending more time in the laboratory. Not only that, Pharmacy students also need to make evidences and analyzes in lab reports so that Pharmacy labs are often conducted in groups. In fact, practicum which is usually done at the Faculty of Medicine must also be done at the Faculty of Pharmacy, such as Anatomy and Physiology practicum, Pharmacology practicum, and Microbiology practicum. Therefore, prospective pharmacists must be versatile in various fields of health and certainly need precision and patience in living it without an accident in the laboratory.

Reference :

1.    Devi O.C. Rezi Riadhi: Inspirasi dari dosen Farmasi Universitas Indonesia (UI) yang tidak mengejar gelar apoteker. MIMS Today. https://today.mims.com/inspirasi-dari-dosen-farmasi-universitas-indonesia-yang-tidak-mengejar-gelar-apoteker. Publicated on 24th of October, 2017. Accessed on 20th of January, 2019.

2.    Sari E. Peran tenaga farmasi di apotek dan rumah sakit. Academia. https://www.academia.edu/9515707/peran_tenaga_farmasi_di_apotek_dan_rumah_sakit. Publicated unknown. Accessed on 20th of January, 2019.

3.    Chaplin P. BAB II PERANAN, FUNGSI, DAN TUGAS APOTEKER DI INDUSTRI FARMASI SERTA TINJAUAN UMUM PT. COMBIPHAR. Academia.https://www.academia.edu/7401348/BAB_II_PERANAN_FUNGSI_DAN_TUGAS_APOTEKER_DI_INDUSTRI_FARMASI_SERTA_TINJAUAN_UMUM_PT._COMBIPHAR. Publicated unknown. Accessed on 20th of January, 2019.

4.    Unknown. Nine Stars Of Pharmacist. Pharmacy Care. http://www.mipa-farmasi.com/2016/10/nine-stars-of-pharmacist.html. Publicated on 11th of October, 2016.  Accessed on 21st of January, 2019.

5.    Wahyudin S. Mengenal Jurusan Farmasi dan Prospek Kerjanya. Info mahasiswa. https://infomahasiswa.com/mengenal-jurusan-farmasi-dan-prospek-kerjanya/. Publicated on 7th of June, 2015. Accessed on 21st of January, 2019.