The University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC) never tires to enhance and update the B.S. Pharmacy major in Clinical Pharmacy curriculum. In its goal to strengthen pharmacy education with experiences of the best pharmacy practices in the world, two of the pharmacy faculty namely,  Professors Cherrie Gasendo Muaña and  Ferlien Baula,  undertook  a one-month training on October 21, 2015 at the Monash University under the supervision of Dr. John Jackson, President of Western Pacific Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Forum and Director of the Australian Pharmacy Council.

Motivated by  their Dean, Dr. Ma. Eva C. San Juan and inspired by their fellow faculty and colleagues, they applied at the Federation of International Pharmacist (FIP) Pharmabrdige Program. Providentially, Agathe Wehrli, the FIP Pharmacbridge coordinator  made the initial endorsement of the application to John Jackson of Monash University in Melbourne , Australia.

The framework of the training was a result of the training needs assessment of the UIC curriculum. The training included an orientation on the Australian Health System, Australian Pharmacy System and the Antimicrobial Stewardship program.  In-depth learning of the Monash Pharmacy curriculum, clinical testing and education innovations, such as the Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE) were also accomplished.

On the experiential learning of students, topics on experiential placements, internship programs, specialist clinical settings and advanced practiced programs were also introduced.  Discussions were enriched through actual short visits to urban and rural community pharmacies and hospital such as the Stawell Hospital at a rural setting, Royal Children Hospital , Royal Melbourne Hospital, Chemmart, Chemist Warehouse, and John Raveck Pharmacy for an urban type of pharmacy.

At the Alfred hospital, the two professors had the chance to practice and hone their clinical skills as they were coached by the clinical pharmacists of the different areas such as, Intensive Care, Surgical and Trauma, Neurological and General Medicine units.  Special lectures were given about the special programs of the hospital, such as, Smoking Cessation and case studies that concerns infectious diseases and medication management systems.

The experience gained by the two professors in this international sectoral engagement at the Monash University of Melbourne Australia contributed much to the enhancement during the review of the B.S. Pharmacy major in Clinical Pharmacy curriculum of UIC.