Summer Student Review

I enjoyed interacting with customers and asking questions on the different health issues customers had. However I found preparing prescriptions very time consuming I was not learning a large amount from it. I would have liked to have more time listening to the pharmacist give advice to the patients.

I found I got on really well with my colleagues and I felt very much part of the team for the time I was there. I also found them very useful and helpful towards my learning.

The pharmacist and other locums I worked with where Brilliant and would always answer any questions I had and give me additional information. Also if they were not sure they would go and find out for me.

I found the workload to vary quite a bit from day to day however I found the morning’s usually to be the busiest with quite a regular flow of customers, prescriptions to prepare and deliveries to unpack. In the afternoon on the other hand it could be very quite and I would often struggle to find jobs to do.

I was given a variety of different jobs to carry out however the majority of the time my work would be doubled checked.

I felt I got a really good insight into how a community pharmacy is run. The skills I feel I have developed include communication skills with customers, using my initiative and teamwork. I also felt my knowledge of the medication has increased which will assist in my degree as each year we have to learn 25 drugs including their names, indications, cautions, contra-indications and side effects.

Sometimes the atmosphere could be quiet however I did chat regularly with other members of staff.

I had my booklet to fill out which gave my placement some structure and made sure I could apply my learning and increase my knowledge. However I did feel at times there was not much for me to do.

I felt they invested a lot of time in answering my questions and showing me how things work. However I was disappointed that they never logged me on to the system which limited what I could do.

While working there I inquired about Christmas work and the Pharmacist seemed very interested and passed on my details to the recruitment team and took down the dates when I was available to work.

I was not working with any other summer students, even thought I did not see my colleagues outside of work. They were very keen for me to come and visit them before I went back to university and gave me a card and gift when I left which made me feel valued as a team member and on a social level.

This does not apply to me.

This does not apply to me.

While I was working there no opportunities where offered to me but I was only there for six weeks