Overview
Provides students with the principles and applications that underpin pharmacist prescribing with a special focus on healthcare access and equity.
This paper will begin equipping pharmacists to take on the role of an independent prescriber in their area of practice.You will learn from doctors, pharmacists, and nurses from a range of backgrounds and discover how to apply core prescribing skills including history taking, physical assessment and clinical reasoning. Our course content and assessments will reflect the most up-to-date practice which will support you as a newly qualified pharmacist prescriber in your workplace.We offer a blended learning model comprising of flexible e-learning with work-based education that fits around you.
About this paper
| Paper title | Pharmacy Prescribing: Access and Equity |
|---|---|
| Subject | Pharmacy |
| EFTS | 0.2500 |
| Points | 30 points |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 (16 February 2026 - 17 June 2026)
(Distance learning)
Semester 2 (Distance learning) |
| Delivery mode | The Distance Learning offering of this paper is a combination of remote and in-person teaching, and involves in-person assessment |
| Delivery mode | The Distance Learning offering of this paper is a combination of remote and in-person teaching, and involves in-person assessment |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $3,486.75 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Eligibility
This paper is for practicing pharmacists, looking to extend their role and scope of practice. There is a requirement that you have at least two years of post-registration patient-focused experience in a hospital, community or a primary care setting.
- Contact
Associate Professor Alesha Smith or pharmacy.postgrad@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- View more information about Pharmacist Prescriber pathway
- Teaching staff
Paper coordinator: Associate Professor Alesha Smith
- Paper Structure
The paper is made up of five modules:
- Health Assessment and Clinical Skills
- Clinical Decision-Making Skills
- Equity in Health
- Monitoring
- Prescribing
- Teaching Arrangements
This paper will be using a blended learning model, offering virtual lectures/workshops, self-paced online learning, and face-to-face workshops.
- Textbooks
Textbook list is available at Home - Pharmacy - LibGuides at University of Otago
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Communication, Critical Thinking, Cultural Understanding, Ethics, Information Literacy, Research, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.- Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the paper will:
- Optimise medicines related health outcome
- Explain the responsibilities of the pharmacist prescriber
- Demonstrate methods of effective communication
- Develop and maintain therapeutic and collaborative relationships
- Undertake a relevant clinical examination
- Integrate clinical knowledge into prescribing behaviour
- Use and interpret basic diagnostic aids
- Competently use diagnostic aids and monitor response to therapy
- Formulate a treatment plan
- Apply clinical assessment skills to:
- inform a working/confirmed diagnosis
- formulate a treatment plan
- prescribe one or more medicine/s if appropriate
- conduct a checking process to ensure patient safety
- monitor response to therapy, review the working/differential diagnosis and modify treatment or refer / consult / seek guidance as appropriate
- Demonstrate a shared approach to decision making by assessing patients’ needs for medicines, taking account of their wishes and values and those of their carers when making prescribing decisions
- Recognise, evaluate and respond to influences on prescribing practice at individual level
- Prescribe safely, appropriately and with awareness of costs
- Maintain accurate, effective and timely records
- Demonstrate an understanding of the public health issues related to medicines use
- Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, ethical and professional framework for accountability and responsibility in relation to prescribing
- Work within clinical governance frameworks.
Overview
Provides students with the principles and applications that underpin pharmacist prescribing with a special focus on healthcare access and equity.
This paper will begin equipping pharmacists to take on the role of an independent prescriber in their area of practice.You will learn from doctors, pharmacists and nurses from a range of backgrounds and discover how to apply core prescribing skills including history taking, physical assessment and clinical reasoning. Our course content and assessments will reflect the most up-to-date practice which will support you as a newly qualified pharmacist prescriber in your workplace.We offer a blended learning model comprising of flexible e-learning with work-based education that fits around you.
About this paper
| Paper title | Pharmacy Prescribing: Access and Equity |
|---|---|
| Subject | Pharmacy |
| EFTS | 0.2500 |
| Points | 30 points |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1
(Distance learning)
Semester 2 (Distance learning) |
| Delivery mode | The Distance Learning offering of this paper is a combination of remote and in-person teaching, and involves in-person assessment |
| Delivery mode | The Distance Learning offering of this paper is a combination of remote and in-person teaching, and involves in-person assessment |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Eligibility
This paper is for practicing pharmacists, looking to extend their role and scope of practice. There is a requirement that you have at least two years of post-registration patient-focused experience in a hospital, community or a primary care setting.
- Contact
- Professor Alesha Smith
- pharmacy.postgrad@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- Teaching staff
Paper co-ordinator: Professor Alesha Smith
- Paper Structure
The paper is made up of five modules:
- Health Assessment and Clinical Skills
- Clinical Decision-Making Skills
- Equity in Health
- Monitoring
- Prescribing
- Teaching Arrangements
This paper will be using a blended learning model, offering virtual lectures/workshops, self-paced online learning and face-to-face workshops.
- Textbooks
Textbook list is available at Home - Pharmacy - LibGuides at University of Otago
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Communication, Critical Thinking, Cultural Understanding, Ethics, Information Literacy, Research, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.- Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the paper will:
- Optimise medicines related health outcome.
- Explain the responsibilities of the pharmacist prescriber.
- Demonstrate methods of effective communication.
- Develop and maintain therapeutic and collaborative relationships.
- Undertake a relevant clinical examination.
- Integrate clinical knowledge into prescribing behaviour.
- Use and interpret basic diagnostic aids.
- Competently use diagnostic aids and monitor response to therapy.
- Formulate a treatment plan.
- Apply clinical assessment skills to:
- Inform a working/confirmed diagnosis.
- Formulate a treatment plan.
- Prescribe one or more medicine/s if appropriate.
- Conduct a checking process to ensure patient safety.
- Monitor response to therapy, review the working/differential diagnosis and modify treatment or refer/consult/seek guidance, as appropriate.
- Demonstrate a shared approach to decision making by assessing patients’ needs for medicines, taking account of their wishes and values and those of their carers when making prescribing decisions.
- Recognise, evaluate and respond to influences on prescribing practice at individual level.
- Prescribe safely, appropriately and with awareness of costs.
- Maintain accurate, effective and timely records.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the public health issues related to medicines use.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, ethical and professional framework for accountability and responsibility in relation to prescribing.
- Work within clinical governance frameworks.