Pharmacist Assistant vs Pharmacy Technologist

To All Malaysian Assistant Pharmacist @ Technologist,
As we all know Public Service Department of Malaysia has  approved the title post of Pharmacy Assistant to Assistant Pharmacist (in Bahasa-Penolong Pegawai Farmasi) effective from 1st June 2008. Many are happy with the current development as it gives a better image of the profession but there are still others who question the rationale of using this term as it doesn't reflect our professional role and career developments in future.
I personally think that it is not a wise move to change the name of our post just because the Medical Assistants have changed theirs to Assistant Medical Officer (Penolong Pegawai Perubatan). Why are we always following others?
A Pharmacy Assistant’s job (in the west referred to as Pharmacy Technician) is a very technically-orientated post. We are involved in compounding, filling medicines, labelling, preparing mixtures, preparing extemporaneous preparations, TPN, TDM, CDR, procuring and purchasing, counter- patient management with or without supervision by a pharmacist in Health Centres. But we all know in Malaysia we still doing clinical work especially in community pharmacy setup in rural places where there is no Pharmacist.
Most of the duties of Assistant Pharmacist comprise a lot of technical undertakings nowdays while we still committed to clinical as well. Why do we choose to be known as 'Penolong Pegawai Farmasi'(Assistant Pharmacist) when we are really technical and part clinical staff(pharmacist cant deny we actually is still doing the clinical work). I have spoken to one of the higher officers in Pharmacy Services Division, Ministry Of Health and he agrees with my view.

I have also discussed this matter with Malaysian Pharmacy Assistant Association Committee Members, Health Ministry Training Division Staff, Lecturers from Allied Health Science College Sg.Buloh, Assistant Pharmacist from National Pharmaceutical Bureau and many dynamic seniors. They all agree that our post should not be changed to Assistant Pharmacist (Penolong Pegawai Farmasi).
So what is the most suitable name or title then?

After some research on Pharmacy Titles across the world in USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, I found that the most suitable name for Malaysian Pharmacy Assistant is Pharmacy Technologist. Why? Because in Malaysia our curriculum syllabus is one of the best in the world compared to other country. In UK, the course is only for 1 year with on job training. In USA the course for Pharmacy Technician is from 7 mnt-1 year with exam for certification(PTCB). But they also have a degree course in Pharmaceutical Technology and Pharmaceutical science which can lead to the post of Pharmacy Technologist! The Republic of Ireland is also running a similar course. Malaysia only offers a course that covers 3 years leading to a DIPLOMA!

The syllabus is indeed very comprehensive and tight with a total of 98 credit points. (To become a Pharmacist, one must complete 120 credit points in a Malaysian University). Hence our diploma course is close to a Degree in Pharmacy. That is about studies. How about the job description and the workload of the Assistant Pharmacist? In many places all the duties supposedly carried out by a Pharmacist is done by the Assistant Pharmacist.

Previously many Pharmacists prefer to be at the desk than to tackle technical or clinical duties. Only recently were there changes whereby the new Pharmacist is placed at the main counter and the Pharmacist Assistant doing the filling work and other technical duties. The role as front liner has been taken over by the Pharmacist nowadays as it should rightly be.

But the issue now is what are the prospects of a Assistant Pharmacist in the new era and in future? After 50 years, only now there is one professional Post Basic course conducted which is very limited chances to all Assistant Pharmacist!. Assistant Pharmacist feel they are treated as second class Paramedics because we are not respected and taken care of by some of the immediate officers. At the present there is a big gap between the Pharmacist and the Assistant in most institutions. But there is also a new generation of Pharmacists who really care and understand our problems.

Now back to the main topic. Choosing the right title. The staff from National Pharmaceutical Bureau very much awaited and fought the title to be changed to Pharmacy Technologist as they are fully doing technical duties there. Duties such as carrying out Microbiology Test, Quality Control, drug performance test etc is a technical job. For a Assistant Pharmacist (Penolong Pegawai Farmasi) to do this kind of job is ridiculous!

Every profession needs developments in its career. Therefore, the closest degree (apart from Deg.In Pharmacy) that we can apply now is Degree in Pharmaceutical Technology, Degree in Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacology. It is very appropriate if our title is changed to Pharmacy Technologist in order to further our studies in Pharmaceutical Technology or Science. Don't you all agree with this? We can concentrate in our technical duties fully without interfering the clinical work which is the Pharmacists’ job.
At present we are sealed in our progress by being given the title of an Assistant which does not give us the chance to be a professional in the related category. To all concerned, think carefully. The change is still there to be made.

TOGETHER FOR OUR FUTURE CAREER DEVELOPMENTS!