Tutors

Practising pharmacists provide supportive learning and training opportunities for pharmacy students to gain the knowledge, skill and attitude required to be a competent pharmacist. Tutor pharmacists also act as role models to inspire, challenge and instil confidence.

Tutors and the five-year Master's degree programme

For pharmacists wishing to supervise students under the new five-year Master’s degree programme, the placement programme is managed by APPEL. As part of the programme, students now undertake practice placements throughout the five years (during 2nd, 4th and 5th years), and there is opportunity for pharmacists working in different areas of practice to provide their support. More details and contact information is available at www.appel.ie.

Tutors and the National Pharmacy Internship Programme

Under the pre-existing 4+1 year programme, the National Pharmacy Internship Programme (NPIP) gives formal recognition and support to tutor pharmacists who mentor and guide interns.

Pharmacists can also act as tutors for Third Country Qualification Recognition (TCQR) applicants during an adaptation period.

Pharmacists who wish to become a tutor in the NPIP are required to:

Have practised as a pharmacist for a minimum of 3 years with a minimum of 1 years’ experience in the field of pharmacy practice in which you intend to act as a tutor;
Undertake to complete the tutor training as specified by the PSI Council;
Declare that you will not supervise an intern in a training establishment where there is a 'connected person'. For the purposes of applications for the NPIP, an applicant shall be deemed to be connected with a training establishment, or a tutor pharmacist, if the applicant is the owner or co-owner of that establishment, or is connected with any owner or co-owner of that establishment, or the applicant is connected with the tutor pharmacist. The term "connected" shall be construed in accordance with Section 10 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (as amended from time to time) (the "TCA") and a "relative", as such term is used in the TCA, shall be deemed to include an uncle, aunt, niece or nephew.
Disclose to the PSI that you have no convictions or disciplinary sanctions against you. Please refer to Section 1 of the PSI Policy on Matters in Relation to the National Pharmacy Internship Programme.

To become a tutor, you must complete a tutor training programme. Participation in a tutor training workshop will contribute to a pharmacist’s continuing professional development (CPD) and can be documented as a CDP cycle.

View more information on tutor training

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Tutor Support and Resources

To assist and support tutors in their role, the RCSI has developed a tutor support infrastructure that includes access to the on-line virtual campus, electronic access to the RCSI libraries and teaching material for interns. Tutors will also have access to a help desk throughout the year to assist with any queries. Tutors will be certified as Associate Faculty of RCSI for the academic year in which they are supervising. They can also display a certificate to the public in their training establishment that confirms their status.
Recognition of TCQR as a qualification appropriate for practice in Ireland

Adaptation Period
Tutor pharmacists are sometimes required to supervise applicants who are undertaking an ‘adaptation period’ through the Third Country Qualification Recognition (TCQR) route. Such applicants will have qualified outside of the EU/EEA and are required to apply for qualification recognition before they can apply to register with the PSI. The adaptation period may be any duration between 6 months to 3 years.
An ‘adaptation period’ is undertaken under the supervision of a registered pharmacist (who must be a tutor pharmacist). Adaptation period applicants do not undertake the National Pharmacy Internship Programme (NPIP) but they and their tutors are required to work through the same competence standards that underpin the NPIP and therefore the work-based learning elements are similar to the NPIP. Upon the successful completion of an ‘adaptation period’, applicants are then required to pass the Professional Registration Examination, the same examination that all interns are required to pass.
Tutor Training Requirements

The new tutor training programme has been developed by the RCSI on behalf of the PSI for the purposes of the National Pharmacy Internship Programme (NPIP) for the period 2014 to 2017.
Training will be provided in a workshop format. The aim of the tutor training is to provide tutors with relevant information to assist tutors develop the requisite skills, and to effectively act as a tutor for either an intern on the National Pharmacy Internship Programme or a Third Country Qualified Pharmacist. Participation in a tutor training workshop will contribute to a pharmacist’s continuing professional development (CPD).
For information on the tutor training workshops and how to register for tutor training, please contact RCSI at mpharm@rcsi.ie.

Tutors

Tutors and the five-year Master's degree programme

Tutors and the National Pharmacy Internship Programme

View more information on tutor training

Tutor Support and Resources

Recognition of TCQR as a qualification appropriate for practice in Ireland

Tutor Training Requirements