With the roles of many pharmacists evolving beyond simply dispensing medication, UWA has developed an Australian-first program specifically for pharmacists to deliver more specialised services, but doctors remain concerned.
The university will offer Australia’s first Doctor of Pharmacy Practice, a one-year online program designed specifically for registered pharmacists seeking to enhance their qualifications and expand their scope of practice.
The launch of the program follows the federal government’s November 2024 announcement that pharmacy graduates completing an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 9 standard (extended) course could use the title Doctor of Pharmacy from 1 January 2025.
But both the RACGP and AMA previously labelled the move “confusing” for patients. They also warned of risks to patient safety if patients were confused about where to seek medical advice.
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AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen had said the expansion of the number of conditions that could be diagnosed and treated in pharmacy was an “unsafe expansion”.
AMA (WA) President Dr Michael Page told Medical Forum the Association still had “concerns about members of the public not understanding the enormous difference between a pharmacy graduate who has completed a one-year crash course in diagnostics and therapeutics and a doctor who has completed a decade-long supervised clinical apprenticeship”.
The Federal Government’s call on the Doctor of Pharmacy title came just a few months after WA expanded the role for community pharmacists, which allowed them to deliver care for a range of conditions including mild to moderate shingles, acne, dermatitis, musculoskeletal pain and inflammation, urinary tract infections and wound management.
Senior lecturer at UWA and 2024 Pharmacist of the Year Dr Amy Page said the university’s new program would address a critical need in the pharmacy profession.
“Currently, pharmacists must undertake numerous separate training pathways after their initial qualification to deliver specialised services,” she said.
“UWA’s Doctor of Pharmacy Practice creates a structured, comprehensive pathway that incorporates all of these elements into one recognised qualification.”
She said the program would prepare pharmacists to deliver medication management reviews, aged care pharmacy services, diabetes education and prescribing capabilities – skills increasingly in demand across community and clinical settings.
“Pharmacists are evolving beyond traditional dispensing roles,” she said.
“This qualification will equip the existing workforce with advanced skills to improve medicine safety and deliver patient-centred care, particularly for older Australians with complex medication needs.”
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has advocated for the development, looking to a future where all entry-to-practice qualifications are extended masters degrees known as Doctor of Pharmacy, along with ‘retrofit’ programs for existing practitioners.
UWA’s program will utilise existing units to create a coursework degree that can be completed entirely online, making it accessible to practising pharmacists nationwide.
“This is about recognising the expanding role pharmacists play in our healthcare system,” Dr Amy Page said.
She said UWA expected strong demand for the program, as it would provide pharmacists with a clear pathway to advance their careers and expand their service offerings.
The course will be delivered from 2026, with enrolments due to open later in 2025.
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