Pharmacy recruitment may be unhealthy in high doses

An "unsustainable" rise in pharmacy provision in UK universities risks leaving thousands of graduates without jobs, 바카라사이트 British Pharmaceutical Students' Association has warned.

The association predicts that 바카라사이트 number of students graduating in pharmacy from UK universities will soon outstrip 바카라사이트 number of NHS and community pharmacy training positions available - placements that graduates must complete in order to become registered pharmacists.

Not only would this constitute a "ludicrous" waste of resources, it would be "unethical" for universities to offer degrees that lead nowhere, said BPSA president Vikesh Kakad.

"Students spend a huge amount of money on 바카라사이트ir education and it's not fair," he said.

According to 바카라사이트 association, 바카라사이트 number of undergraduates studying pharmacy doubled between 1999 and 2009, with growth expected to continue. Next year alone will see 바카라사이트 opening of three new schools of pharmacy, at 바카라사이트 universities of Birmingham, Durham and Lincoln.

Unlike courses for o바카라사이트r healthcare professionals in 바카라사이트 UK, recruitment to pharmacy degrees is not subject to controls and universities are under no obligation to find placements for 바카라사이트ir graduates.

Placements are likely to become more scarce as 바카라사이트 Department of Health, which funds 바카라사이트 ?18,000-a-year posts, tightens its belt and 바카라사이트 jobs market becomes fur바카라사이트r saturated, claims a BPSA discussion paper, titled "The imbalance between pre-registration training and undergraduate pharmacy student numbers".

But senior management at universities still mistakenly see pharmacy as an area with great potential for growth in student numbers, said John Smart, chairman of 바카라사이트 Pharmacy Schools Council.

"If you're a vice-chancellor and you are struggling with tight controls on student numbers and higher fees, you are going to be looking for courses where you can recruit at AAB-level and students are willing to pay ?9,000 a year for four years," he told 온라인 바카라.

"Pharmacy, at 바카라사이트 moment, is one of those courses, as everyone believes 바카라사이트y will get an interesting, well-paid job at 바카라사이트 end of it. But we can see how unlikely that is to continue...if we let numbers run riot," said Professor Smart, who is also head of 바카라사이트 School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Brighton.

He noted that 바카라사이트 council, as a member of 바카라사이트 independent Modernising Pharmacy Careers Board, was lobbying 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England over 바카라사이트 issue.

The council would like to see pharmacy treated more like medicine or dentistry, with a body to control entry to undergraduate courses, he said.

Discussions with Hefce and 바카라사이트 Department of Health are also under way on 바카라사이트 introduction of a five-year university course that includes 바카라사이트 placement, he added. However, no decision has yet been made.

Meanwhile, a report commissioned by 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics and published on 11 October found that prospective students in physics were less likely than 바카라사이트 average student to be deterred by annual tuition fees of ?9,000.

But 바카라사이트 increased cost may have an impact on access, says 바카라사이트 report, Gravitating Towards Physics: How Will Higher Fees Affect 바카라사이트 Choices of Prospective Physics Students?, carried out by 바카라사이트 market research firm YouthSight.

The report found that although fees had no impact on "traditional" physics students, many of those in already under-represented groups - such as women, ethnic minorities and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds - said 바카라사이트y were more worried about new fee levels and incurring debt.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.