PhAST Track Orientation Module: Student Conduct

This draft 'Code of Conduct for Pharmacy Students' is an important document with which you should become familiar.  You will find a copy on the USB stick that you were given during O-Week.  Section 7.1 begins on page 36 and continues to page 39.  Alternatively, you will find it attached below.  Take a couple of minutes to read it well, and you will be clear on what is expected of you as a pharmacy student registered with the Australian Health Practioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Appropriate dress will be required for all clinical placements, tutorials, workshops and practical sessions.  If in doubt students should seek assistance and guidance. 

Students must be neat, clean and tidy.  While items of clothing to be worn are at the discretion of the student, it is importnat that items of clothing must be in good repair, ironed where applicable, and appropriate to the environment in which they are to work. 

As pharmacy students, you will be working in close proximity with patients, colleagues, staff and members of the profession.  Therefore, it is important to be acutely aware of personal hygiene, particularly in a tropical environment.  It is recommended that individuals bathe at least daily, maintain oral hygiene and use underarm deodorant.  Hair should be kept clean and be neat in appearance. 

There is a smoke-free policy within the University and therefore smoking is not permitted in any buildings.  It is unacceptable for students to smoke in placement uniform in a public place.

Pharmacy, like all of the health professions, has been awarded special privileges and responsibilities by society and in response both society and the pharmacy profession expect high standards of behaviour from both pharmacists and pharmacy students.  You also need to be aware that your behaviour outside the university and/or clinical environment, including your personal life may also have an affect on your ability to practise as a pharmacist.  During the course of your studies at James Cook University you will be required to register as a Pharmacy Student with the National Pharmacy Board and in this situation it would be your duty to report any criminal convictions, cautions, penalty notices or other situations that could impair your ability to practise as a pharmacist in the future.

James Cook University has a general Student Conduct Policy and a Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement, both of which you should familiarise yourself with.  Key issues to note are comments in the policies about plagiarism, academic misconduct and student behaviour as these issues are taken seriously by the university and the pharmacy profession.  On top of the general university policies, many pharmacy schools are also adopting the draft code of conduct for pharmacy students proposed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (PJ, 23 May 2009, p626).  The National Pharmacy Board will produce its own in due course but in the meantime we have summarised the RPSGB code (see 'Draft Code of Conduct for Pharmacy Students' box, left) so that you can gain some understanding of the level of behaviour expected of pharmacy students.

Students in the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree course are being prepared for a professional future as a Registered Pharmacist.  As part of being a professional, it is expected that students behave in a professional manner both on and off campus.

As professionals, it is expected that students will respect the rights of other students and staff. Rude or insulting behaviour to others will not be tolerated.  Respect is important in lectures, and talking in lectures, especially when guest lecturers are invited, will be seen as unprofessional. 

As a part of professional behaviour, punctuality is expected at all learning experiences (lectures, tutorials, workshops and clinical placement).  Students who are repeatedly late in attending learning experiences, or handing in assignments will be contacted by the year co-ordinator.