RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences

Overview

RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences was founded in 1784 by Royal Charter from King George III of Great Britain and Ireland. The College was established to educate surgeons as surgeons were trained separately from physicians. In 1886, the training of physicians and surgeons merged, and the College established a Medical School.

Since then, the college has grown to become a world-renowned College and in addition to its School of Medicine, the College also houses Schools of Pharmacy, Physiotherapy (Physical Therapy), Post Graduate Studies and Faculties of Radiology, Dentistry, Nursing & Midwifery, Sports & Exercise Medicine. The college also encompasses the RCSI Research Institute and the National Surgical Training Centre. Today, RCSI has an international network of more than 20,000 Alumni working in 70 countries worldwide.

The School of Pharmacy, established in 2002, is part of the historic and globally recognized Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The School offers one of the most progressive and modern pharmacy programs and is known for its innovation in teaching and research. The School of Pharmacy is based in the main college campus on St Stephen’s Green in the heart of Dublin city center.

Curriculum Overview

In 2015 RCSI replaced their traditional pharmacy curriculum with a modern integrated program designed to create a new generation of pharmacists who are equipped to begin a successful career in hospital clinical pharmacy, community pharmacy or in the pharmaceutical industry. These graduates will lead the expansion of the profession into new diverse emerging roles within the healthcare sector.

The integrated pharmacy program substitutes a discipline based approach with the simultaneous delivery of the underpinning life/pharmaceutical sciences with the practice of pharmacy so that students can contextualize scientific theory in relevant clinical situations. This is achieved by replacing traditional discipline-based modules with principally organ systems modules which combine basic and applied scientific theory with professional practice and clinical care associated with that organ system. Embedded within these modules are six competency strands that together create the graduate profile (caregiver and medication expert). There is a strong emphasis on clinical practice and clinical competence which is built around integrated experiential learning in practice placements. Here, early professional practice visits and patient interaction progress into weekly practice placements and subsequently into longer term blocks of industry, hospital and/or community placements. This is complemented by optional world class academic research placements nationally and/or optional international mobility both within the European Union and outside of the European Union (e.g. USA).

These graduate pharmacists will be medication experts of the highest international standards, internationally mobile and equipped to contribute to advancement of health and patient care.

Professional Recognition

Graduates of the 5 year Pharmacy program receive the award of Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) from the National University of Ireland and professional recognition by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.

Research and Elective Opportunities

Students are provided with the opportunity to participate in an 8-week undergraduate summer research project through the RCSI Research Summer School.

Students are also offered the opportunity to undertake electives in partnered North American, French and Chinese faculties of Pharmacy. Further postgraduate research positions aligning with the school’s research strategy are also available within the school following graduation.