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Health Sciences
195
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Pharmacology:
Develops knowledge about how drugs
work at the molecular, biochemical and cellular level that
is essential if drugs are to be used effectively to treat
disease in humans and in animals. The course also gives
an appreciation of factors affecting the therapeutic benefits
and adverse risks of medicines
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Practice of pharmacy:
This subject examines what
pharmacists do in each of the areas of professional practice
and because this involves working with patients, their
families and others in the health service it also includes
sociological and psychological subjects as well as a study
of the health service
In the final year, you will undertake a
research project
and will
also prepare a dissertation on an aspect of pharmacy practice
linked to a community, hospital or industry option of your choice.
In the past students have chosen the following as subjects for
investigation:
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Establish new bioassay for the detection of anticancer
compounds in complex plant extracts
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Essential Oil analysis of two Irish species – chemistry
and biological activity
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Quality of medicines information on the internet
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Development of quick reference guides for pharmacists
about medicines
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An investigation of new approaches for diagnosing diabetes
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A role for dopamine in a potentially lethal interaction between
caffeine and MDMA ‘Ecstasy’.
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Production and characterisation of porous microparticles
of a model protein designed for pulmonary delivery
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Are we able to predict the physical stability of amorphous
drug/polymer composites?
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SAR studies of 6-fluoroquinolones
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Molecular probes for proteins which regulate cancer-cell
proliferation: chemistry and modelling of novel nuclear
receptor targeting agents
Assessment
A combination of continuous assessment and oral and written
end-of-year examinations is used. Practical examinations are
also an important means of assessment. Senior Sophisters
(fourth-year students) submit a dissertation based on their
projects.
Career opportunities
Your career prospects as a Pharmacy graduate are excellent.
Employment opportunities exist in community, hospital and
industrial pharmacy, as well as in state services such as
medicines licensing. In addition, you can opt to undertake
research, or apply for entry to one of the postgraduate courses
in hospital, industrial or community pharmacy.
Further information
www.tcd.ie/Pharmacy
Tel: +353 1 896 2809
The Pharmacy degree and
professional qualification
The Pharmacy degree alone does not entitle you to practice
as a pharmacist.
After the four years in Trinity College students are required
to undertake a further one year training period, known as
the ‘pre-registration year’ or ‘pharmacy internship year’.
The pre-registration training year may be taken in a range
of pharmaceutical settings including hospital, community
and industrial environments, where you will work under the
supervision of a tutor pharmacist. You will be entitled to
register as a pharmacist with the Pharmaceutical Society
of Ireland (PSI) on the successful completion of the pre-
registration year and the PSI’s Licence Examination.
The B.Sc. (Pharm.) degree is in full compliance with the
EU directives governing free movement of pharmacists,
entitling graduates to register and work throughout the EU
(including Northern Ireland) following registration with the
Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
Graduate Profile
Dr. Máirín Ryan
“Following a pre-registration year in hospital pharmacy
practice I took up a position as clinical pharmacist
in St. James’s Hospital and subsequently assumed
responsibility for delivery of inpatient and outpatient clinical
pharmacy services for HIV/AIDS patients. I then did a
Ph.D. in the Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
Trinity College focussing on pharmacoeconomics
of HIV therapy. I subsequently moved from clinical
practice to become the Chief Pharmacist at the National
Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. I am now a lecturer in
pharmacoeconomics in the Dept. of Pharmacology and
Therapeutics and the lead investigator for a program of
economic analyses of HIV clinical trials in Africa. I am also
a member of the scientific advisory board for the Infectious
Diseases Institute at Makerere University in Uganda.
I and two graduates from the Trinity College medical
school co-founded the Réalta Global AIDS Foundation
in 2004, a registered charity which focuses on improving
outcomes for Africans with HIV/AIDS and other poverty
related conditions. In 2007, I was appointed as Director of
Health Technology Assessment at the Health Information
and Quality Authority where the team will be responsible
for conducting health technology assessments to inform
national health policy and service decisions. I feel that
my training as a pharmacist has been an invaluable basis
for my work to date, obviously as the starting point for
developing clinical pharmacy skills but also in my current
role. Health technology assessment is a research-driven
process which involves compiling all of the evidence
around investment in new technologies including drugs
and assessing that evidence to inform the best decisions
for patient care; which is essentially what pharmacists are
trained to do.”