World Pharmacists Day: Think Health, Think Pharmacists

World Pharmacists Day falls on the 25 September and marks the inception of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in 1912. The Department of Pharmacy at the University of Malta is an active contributor to the education, practice and research initiatives within FIP. This year the theme for World Pharmacists Day is “Think Health, Think Pharmacists”.

The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Malta were established in 1676 when the Council of the Order of the Knights of St John approved the Grandmaster’s decision for the foundation of the faculty at the Sacra Infermeria (Holy Infirmary) in Valletta. Historically, a central piece in the pharmacy was the apothecary bench. The Department of Pharmacy have on display two traditional apothecary benches which were donated to the Department by the pharmaceutical industry. The apothecary bench was used to prepare medicines, and very importantly, provided the space so that the pharmacist, could provide advice on health matters and use of medicines in a private and secluded area.

On World Pharmacists Day, we are, together, celebrating the evolvements in the programmes and research activity within the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Malta. We reflect on the exciting developments in the courses leading to become a pharmacist or a pharmaceutical technologist and on the opportunities to empower graduates to reach high with Master and Doctoral degrees. In the last decade, graduates from the Department of Pharmacy were: 98 pharmaceutical technologists, 267 pharmacists, 103 completed the Doctorate in Pharmacy and 12 read for a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Enriched by education and research, we celebrate the pharmaceutical workforce today.