The pharmacy internship program usually starts the week after students finish school for a period of 6 consecutive months. All Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) requirements should be completed before starting the program. The earliest start date is the first week of September and the latest start date is the first week of March.
The program is fulltime at 40 hours per week, from 8.00am and 5.00pm, Sunday to Thursday. The projects, assignments and daily tasks are determined by the intern’s mentor, and can vary between each area.
Around 70% of the program schedule is dedicated to technical proficiency, learning medication use policies and distributive functions averages, with key emphasis on:
- Safe medication in the drug distribution system
- Sterile compounding services
- Controlled medication distribution
- Medication management and use policies
Clinical practice accounts for around 30% of the schedule, activities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Journal Club
- Clinical Case of the Month
- Clinical Grand Rounds
- Continuing Education presentations
The pharmacy intern may also attend lectures, meetings, and discussions, as approved by their mentor. Additionally, pharmacy interns are provided the opportunity to shadow pharmacists in areas they would like to explore.