PHARMACY TECHNOLOGIST

Hi my pharmacy friends,

Today is my very first day of creating this blog and i choose to have a topic that is related to our profession.

As we all know Public Service Department of Malaysia (JPA) just approved the new title as “Penolong Pegawai Farmasi” which in English translated to Pharmacist Assistant effective 1st June 2008 (previously addressed as Pharmacy Assistant). Many are happy with the current development as it gives us a step higher than before on the professions image but to some of them and ‘think thank group‘ still queried the rationale using this title as it doesn’t show our professional role and career developments in future.

I personally think that it is not clever to choose that title just because the Medical Assistant also change the new title as ‘Penolong Pegawai Perubatan‘. Why are we always following other peoples back???

Pharmacy Assistant job (in western refered to Pharmacy Technician) is very technically orientated duty. We involved in compounding, filling medicines, labelling, preparing mixtures, prepare extemporaneous preparations, TPN, TDM, CDR, doing procurement and purchasing, counter patient management with supervision by a pharmacist or without Pharmacist in Health centres.

All this duties comprise lot of technical undertakings. Why we choose to be a ‘Penolong Pegawai Farmasi‘ when we are in the category of Technical people? I personally has spoken to one of the higher officer in BPF KKM and he agree with my view. But the question now is who agreed to the changes? Everyone knows that Union is the one fighting all this while but they forgot to get a mandate from all members from floor. It was chosen by the committee.

I have also discuss this matter with Malaysian Pharmacy Assistant Association Committee Member, Bahagian latihan KKM, Lecturers from Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu, National Pharmaceutical Bureau PPF Staff and many seniors who are very dynamic staff. They all agree our name should not change to Penolong Pegawai Farmasi.
So what is the most suitable name or title then?

After I did my personal 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 syllabus is one of the best in the world compared to westerns. In UK, the course conducted only for 1 year programme and on job training, in USA the course for Pharmacy Technician is from 7 mnt-1 year with exam for certification. But they also have a degree course in Pharmacy Technology and Pharmaceutical science which later can become a Pharmacy Technologist! Republic Ireland also running similar course but not as Malaysia with 3 years DIPLOMA!

The syllabus indeed very comprehensive and tight with total 95 credit points. (To become a Pharmacist, one must complete 120 credit point in Malaysian University). It is near to a Degree in Pharmacy. That is about studies. How about the job description and the workload suffered by Pharmacy Assist? In many places all the duties supposedly done by a Pharmacist was run by Pharmacy Assistant (PPF). Many Pharmacist preferred to be on desk than technical or clinical duty. Only recently there are changes whereby the new Pharmacist was place at the main counter and the Pharm.Assist doing the filling work. The role as front liner was taken over by Pharmacist now days as it suppose to be.

But the issue now is how far is the role as Pharmacist Assistant in the new era and in future developments. Over 50years of service by this profession sadly to say that not even one professional Post Basic courses was conducted and run by KKM. Pharm.Assist feel treated as second class Paramedic by other profesions because we was not respected and taken care well by immediate officers. There are a big gap among the Pharmacist and the Assistant with silence and hidden agenda to a few. But they is also a very nice new generation Pharmacist which they really understand our problems.

Now back to the main topic. Choosing the right title. The staff from Biro very much awaited and fought the title to be change to Pharmacy Technologist as they are fully doing technical duties there. Duties as Microbiology Test, Quality Control, drug performance test etc is a technical job. Becoming a Penolong Pegawai Farmasi for them doing this kind of job is ridiculous!

Every profession wants a developments in their 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 change to Pharmacy Technologist and further our studies in Pharmaceutical Technology or Science. Don’t you all think that? We can concentrate in our technical duties fully without interfering the clinical work which is Pharmacist job.

At present we sealed our progress by being an Assistant title and not trying to be professional in related category. To all folks, think carefully. The change is still there to make.
TOGETHER FOR OUR FUTURE CAREER DEVELOPMENTS!