Taking part in the BIP in Clinical Pharmacy in Pavia University was one of the highlights of my university experience to date. I really enjoyed learning about many clinically applied pharmacy concepts from a wide range of excellent educators and applying these concepts to all the practical activities we did. Two practical activities I enjoyed in particular were a health screening we carried out with members of a social club for retired persons, and a visit we made to a local hospital pharmacy.

The online learning component prior to the in-person programme gave us an opportunity to get to grips with many of the topics we would be discussing in a more practical context during the in-person programme. It also allowed us to become familiar with the educators and other students prior to meeting them in person.

For me, the most invaluable part of the experience was learning a lot more about how pharmacy practice differs in other European countries and building friendships with pharmacy students from other universities that we never would have met otherwise. I would highly recommend the BIP in Clinical Pharmacy for any student who is looking to broaden their horizons and gain a new perspective on pharmacy practice, both in Ireland and abroad.

Íde Swanton

Participating in the Blended Intensive Programme has been a highlight of my degree so far. Attending lectures both online and in-person helped to improve my clinical pharmacy skills and learn about similarities and differences within pharmacy across Europe. Collaborating with students from France, Italy and Lithuania was both a great learning experience and a lot of fun – especially when we were all together in Pavia! I am so glad I had the opportunity to take part in this programme, and I would highly recommend it to any pharmacy student looking to enhance their clinical knowledge and experience the benefits of international collaboration.

Orla Mcloughlin

Participating in the Blended Intensive Programme in Clinical Pharmacy at University of Pavia was an invaluable experience that significantly broadened  my understanding of clinical practice.

The online component was well structured and engaging diverse topics such as health literacy, medication use in vulnerable populations (including intellectual disability and older adults), LGBTQIA+ patient care, vaccination services, digital pharmacy, and herb drug interactions. Learning from pharmacists and academics across Dublin, Paris, Vilnius, and Pavia before arriving in person created an excellent foundation and a genuine sense of international collaboration.

The in-person week in Italy truly brought the programme to life. Beyond lectures on interesting topics including pharmacogenetics, clinical pharmacy in ICU and paediatrics, medication safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and pharmacoeconomics, I experienced practical clinical work firsthand. Hands on sessions at Collegio Santa Caterina involving lab tests, screening activities, and vaccination services gave me exposure to community pharmacy practice.

Overall, the experience was incredible, and I would highly recommend the programme to other students seeking to advance their clinical skills.

Salma Hassan

I had the incredible opportunity to take part in the programme this year. It was an invaluable experience that I would highly recommend and gaining an insight into what the pharmacy profession is like in several countries in Europe was eye-opening. The programme consisted of two weeks of online lectures delivered by professors from Trinity College Dublin, Paris-Saclay University, Vilnius University and the University of Pavia. A wide range of clinical pharmacy topics were discussed, including the expanding role of the pharmacist through vaccine delivery, digital pharmacy, and the role of the pharmacist as an ally for LGBTQIA+ community. The online lectures were highly engaging, and the knowledge we gained from this part of the programme was consolidated the following week through in-person learning in Pavia, Italy.

Our week in Pavia was packed with lectures, workshops and exciting cultural activities, making it an experience I will never forget. We were immersed in Italian culture through interacting with the Italian students and by taking part in a variety of intercultural workshops with the local community in Pavia. We also spent the week enjoying many authentic Italian dishes which further immersed us in Italian culture! The experience also gave me the opportunity to make many new international friends from Paris, Vilnius and Pavia, while becoming even closer with the students from Dublin, which was fantastic. Overall, this experience allowed me to grow professionally as a future pharmacist by gaining a deeper understanding of the diverse role of the pharmacist across Europe. It also allowed me to develop personally as I made memories and friendships that I will cherish forever!

Rosie Farrell

Before the course began, we had two weeks of online lectures on pharmacy practice across Europe and as well as some insights from TCD lecturers (even inside information about how OSCE exams are created and marked!). The virtual group-work involved in the seminars allowed us to meet the students and lecturers from France, Lithuania and Italy we were soon interacting with on the grounds of the University.

Once we all arrived in Pavia, we began lectures and workshops which prepared us for practical tasks such as OSCE station preparation, medicine interaction checking and providing services like glucose testing, blood pressure measurement, ECG and cognition tests to older adults in the local community. A visit to a nearby hospital, including the aseptics unit, provided an insight into hospital pharmacy outside of Ireland. The clinical and practice-based learning was paired with very enjoyable activities outside of the classroom. From the authentic dinners, Latin dance classes, karaoke night and my personal favourite, line dancing with our older patients from earlier that day!

Our trip concluded with a historical tour around the city on the beloved street train and a final farewell to our newfound friends and colleagues. Lasting connections were made as some of us even travelled to Paris to visit a French student we met in Pavia. I strongly believe that the experiences and learning we were exposed to has and will continue to develop my personal view of pharmacy practice in Ireland and abroad. It was truly a trip that I will treasure, I could go on all day about it! I am very grateful to Dr Boylan, Dr O’Connell and everyone who facilitated the programme.

Emily Ray