Ospap 2009

[rainbow121]

Hi, i know that some of the students tried to start this thread but it ended up in depressing situtaion regarding status of OSPAP gradutes so i m starting the same thread again hoping that it wont end up in same thing again. i was planning to apply for ospap and was curious if anyone can tell me if they still ask people to come for an interview and what kind of questions do they ask. i have searched whole forum but i couldnt find any details regarding interviews.also is anyone planning to go for ospap this year or next year. what will be the stauts of society as it wont be royal pharmaceutical society anymore. can international students still apply for OSPAP next year coz rumors are they wont continue it from next year so this year may be the last year. also not many people r going to start ospap this year either as there r not many applications even in popular universities like aston university this year.

[Asterix]

tbh I would be glad in a way for this course to stop, too many foreign imports eating up jobs here. A 1 year course imho is not a great standard to enable people onto the register.

[rainbow121]

well asterix, from what i have been told they (OSPAP) have condensed two years in one year. plus pharmacy course everywhere is quite similar. even australia and usa have their own standards. i have finished a university in uk as well and to be honest i dont think so education is very different from other countries. infact some of the universities in UK (including big names) r quite poor in terms of teaching. De montfort university had gone through some criticism coz they even passed Pharmacy students in their first year when they only received 26% in their exams so that they can have a high passing rate.

Most of the international student doesnt come to UK coz of so-called standard of universities but to find a better job as money is good in UK thanks to the currency rate.

Mind you i have finished my post graduate education from King's college of london and i was hoping to find a job but again thanx to recession, couldnt find anything.

[sharifhs]

what will be the stauts of society as it wont be royal pharmaceutical society anymore. can international students still apply for OSPAP next year coz rumors are they wont continue it from next year so this year may be the last year. also not many people r going to start ospap this year either as there r not many applications even in popular universities like aston university this year.

Hi there
I'm completing my B.Pharm (4 yrs) in Bangladesh and I was hoping I would apply OSPAP after completing my B.Pharm. Now I'm confused reading rainbow's post that OSPAP wount continue from next year. Can you tell me in brief what is happening?

Thanks

[rainbow121]

Dear Sharifhs, dont get confused. they r not closing OSPAP down. what has happened at the min is that work permit on basis of retail pharmacy is not available anymore however royal pharmaceutical society is in talk with home office and hopefully something would happen by september this year. u can still get work permit if u want to work in hospital pharmacy. personally i dont think so any kind of work permit would be available after couple of years as their wont be any shortage of pharmacist but thats my personal perception.

[sharifhs]

Dear Sharifhs, dont get confused. they r not closing OSPAP down. what has happened at the min is that work permit on basis of retail pharmacy is not available anymore however royal pharmaceutical society is in talk with home office and hopefully something would happen by september this year. u can still get work permit if u want to work in hospital pharmacy. personally i dont think so any kind of work permit would be available after couple of years as their wont be any shortage of pharmacist but thats my personal perception.

Thanks rainbow121 for make me clear

[paul2008]

tbh I would be glad in a way for this course to stop, too many foreign imports eating up jobs here. A 1 year course imho is not a great standard to enable people onto the register.

Wonder how you will feel if things go bad here (could never happen!) and you decide to relocate to USA or Australia or other English speaking country and the tell you your Mpharm is not up to their standards go back and do a tough conversion course (they are not there yet but will make you write a tough exam.)

In terms of jobs the UK market has a long history of poaching other countries professionals cheaply and then over training and not finding jobs for their own graduates, just look at nursing. This is not the fault of people who want to move here but internal policy and poor planning.

If pharmacy is to develop and grow instead of becoming extinct we need to (to quote the environment saying) "think globally, act locally". In my opinion an essential part of this is the exchange of professionals on a short term basis around the world (not migration as is currently the only feasible route to registration) and closing the door makes this harder. Currently most people know that if they invest in the OSPAP, they will stay long term to recoup the investment, making them do the 4 year degree will just cause them to become technicians and do more Brits out of jobs.

You talk about the OSPAP not being up to scratch..... sorry to disappoint you but it is at the same academic level as the final year of the Mpharm in terms of the UK and EU accademic standards. Ask an older pharmacist how they would feel going back to redo the last year of university, its scary, tough and packed with new or half forgotten things that are not part of everyday practice.

This is just how I see things, I know its hard. I know that as pharmacists we want to be in demand and to command a good salary but that is a small part of the big picture: blanket bans and restrictions on migration could have unforeseen consequences. Predictable consequences such as restrictions on UK trained pharmacists registering in other countries are already being seen. Reciprocity is over.

[Asterix]

Fair enough paul, I can't really argue with that. However, with the influx of home grown pharmacists and the number increasing on the register, what are the chances of ospap remaining?!

[paul2008]

Fair enough paul, I can't really argue with that. However, with the influx of home grown pharmacists and the number increasing on the register, what are the chances of ospap remaining?!

Hopefully for the sake of UK pharmacists wanting to go elsewhere (and as numbers grow more will want to head out into the English speaking world in preference to Europe) it will remain with a reduced intake or with more restrictions on work permits advertised up front but to be honest I don't see sense prevailing, guess it will be abolished in a knee jerk policy reaction and we will have to live with the fallout. The current recession and political climate will of course complicate things.

All I can do is remind people that in the global village we are not an island what happens here affects us and others and how they treat us and perhaps I sound like a stuck record but I believe if we give things enough thought and agree on the way forward we can influence the policy makers.

[rainbow121]

well said paul, more comprehensive than me. brits have to go through same exams as us in order to regsiter in australia and usa now anyway.