[Chosen1]

In reply to the original posting. It's highly unusual for a pre-reg tutor to be thinking of failing a student so early, usually most companies will let you know how you progress and allow you to amend your behaviour in order to become competent. With regards to evidence, I personally think it is a load of red-tape and just wastes valuable time which could be spent on more useful learning (e.g. sales of medicines, BNF, etc). Ask your daughter to agree with her tutor as to what evidence and how much is required. Some tutors make you collect lots whilst others look for about 60 good pieces in total!

Most pre-reg students will be in the same position right now in terms of evidence and progress, unless they really have been seriously organised and have a really good tutor.

Not having a good knowledge of OTC medicines and not being great at calculations does not make her incompetent. She'll have some basic knowledge of both from her pharmacy course, all she needs to do is build up on it during the coming months. My advice would be to practice calculations at least once a month and complete a Sales of Medicine Accredited course (her company will offer this if she is with Alliance Boots, Lloyds, etc; if she's with an indepedent firm then Buttercups and other companies have such courses). There are also some good books out there for both areas (Symptoms in the Pharmacy; Introduction to Pharmaceutical Calculations).

Getting a 2:1 is good and shows your daughter is very capable; but she now needs to apply the knowledge she has gained as that is what this year is about.

The RPSGB keeps a check on tutors, and tutors have a learning contract which they signed to say that they will support the trainee, etc. If this agreement is not being fulfilled by a tutor, than the Society can act.

The 13wk review is more a progress check and it is unlikely that any good company would let a pharmacy graduate go at this stage without giving them prior warning to amend their behaviour. It is more likely that the 26wk review is where those who have failed to progress as planned will be asked to leave.

Pre-reg can be exhausting, ask your daughter to speak to her tutor and see if she can spread the working hours out over the week and finish some days a little earlier to give her enough relaxation/social/learning time. Is your daughter utilising her 1hr study time effectively? Long hours can be a part of any job and that criteria alone does not necessarily make pharmacy a hard job. What I have noted though is community pharmacy is in some cases fast paced as opposed to say hospital. Perhaps hospital pharmacy will suit your daughter better (as it has less time pressure constraints with regards to for example dispensing or patient interaction).

You're right, this is meant to be like a vocational year and so I'd advise (without knowing too much about the nature of the problem) that if this is concerning you or your daughter, sit down with the tutor and see how you can help each other make the best of the situation. At worst you can request to be moved to another store and at best you will know where your daughter stands with respect to her training needs.

On a positive note, I would not worry too much, I am sure that your daughter will pick up stuff as the year progresses and will be as good a pharmacist as any.