Growing professionalism in pharmacy students

IMU is one of 17 institutions of higherlearning conducting the Bachelor of Pharmacy coursein Malaysia. The White paper on pharmacy studentprofessionalism by the Task Force of the AmericanPharmaceutical Association Academy of Students ofPharmacy together with the American Association ofColleges of Pharmacy Council of Deans mentioned10 essential traits of a professional, recommendingtheir early development. Since the beginning of theIMU Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) (Hons) coursein July 2004 on Registration Day, IMU has adopted theconcept of developing professionalism in the pharmacystudent from the very first day of university, by havingthe White Coat Ceremony where the entire class takesthe Pledge of Professionalism (adapted from the TaskForce) against the “Code of Conduct for Pharmacistsand Bodies Corporate” by the Pharmacy Board ofMalaysia in the presence of the Senior Director of thePharmaceutical Services Division of the Ministry ofHealth, Malaysia and the President of the MalaysianPharmaceutical Society (MPS). Throughout their4 years in IMU, the pharmacy students are exposed tovarious aspects of professionalism in different subjectsin their curriculum. On 23rd April 2012, when thefifth cohort of BPharm students received their finalexamination results, “Pharmacy Professional Day” waslaunched. The graduating students took the Oath of aPharmacist (adapted from the American Association ofColleges of Pharmacy’s Oath with slight amendment).Talks by alumni and speakers from MPS aimed tofacilitate the transition of the new graduate to workinglife as a pharmacist.