Six students of the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarra have made this year, for the first time, an 8-day stay in the Green Light pharmacy chain in London, where they have attended a theory course-practical on community and hospital pharmacy according to the British model .

In the words of the students -most of them from the first promotion of the International Pharmaceutical Certificate (IPC)-, these days of training have helped them to understand, share and value the differences between the English and Spanish pharmacy, with activities of roll playing (the students, in pairs, developed different situations that can occur in daily pharmaceutical care in a pharmacy office). "In addition," they add, "for three days we were divided into different pharmacies and this is how we were able to experience first-hand what it is like to work in a pharmacy in another country, to be part of the international team and to understand the needs of patients".

They recognize that the Green Light Summer School was very intense: "We met great professionals, linked to University College London (UCL), one of the most prestigious centers in the world and issue 1 in the QS ranking at Education and training". 

A unique course in Spain

At the end of the course, unique in its format in Spain as it is aimed at students of Degree Pharmacy, students obtain a certificate from attendance. In the opinion of Pedro González-Muniesa, coordinator of the University of Navarra Pharmacy Tutored Internships, "this activity has the added value to promote the use of English, to have the support of Green Light and UCL and to encourage students to undertake their degree program in another country. In this case, in the United Kingdom".

The last two days of the stay were used for visits to various institutions: "We learned about the role of the hospital pharmacist at UCL Hospital, we visited the European Medicine Agency (EMA), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society museum and the pharmaceutical companies GSK and Celgene," says the professor. They also had time to enjoy the city, "to socialize and get to know each other much better. At summary, 100% recommendable", the students emphasize.

Starting next year, this training period will be mandatory for all students enrolled in the International Pharmaceutical Certificate at School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarra.