Newcastle University, UK’s innovative pharmaceutical programme celebrates its first year

Newcastle University, UK, which launched the MSc Oncology for the Pharmaceutical Industry, as a part of the MSc Oncology and Palliative Care e-learning programmes in 2012, has been able to generate high interest amongst students from around the world one year later. Across the three e-learning programmes (MSc in Oncology, MSc in Palliative Care and MSc in Oncology for the Pharmaceutical Industry), 120 students were registered in 2012. Students from Australia, Canada, Greece, Malta, South Africa, India, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the US, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt and New Zealand, enrolled for the courses.

The programme has been designed to enable students to gain an insider’s look into the hospitals’ expectations from the pharma industry and the impact of regulatory procedures. It also focuses on the implications of legislation and economic environment, and how pharmacists need to adapt to the changing sector by developing business skills. Ethical perspectives complement the scientific and business dimensions of the programme.

Dr Charles Kelly, Degree Programme Director, said: “Students will gain knowledge that helps them build awareness of National Health Service (NHS) procedures. The programme introduces them to product development in cancer care, including new concepts in personalised health care. One of the main goals of the course is to help increase the understanding and cooperation between the pharma industry and NHS by helping students understand how decisions are made in adopting certain techniques, with the patient at the centre of the decision making process.”

Despite its NHS focus, the scope of the course is not geographically limited to the UK. Module leader Steve Williamson said, “The UK system is reflected internationally and the programme has a wide appeal which allows international students to apply the knowledge in their countries. Students gain new perspectives and bring value to their organisations. Furthermore, the student diversity creates a stimulating learning and teaching environment, and good networking opportunities.”

The programme features a variety interactive tools and activities. Students receive immediate feedback from automatically scored self-assessments. They can participate in discussions, ask questions and get advice through discussion groups or email exchanges with module leaders and lecturers. The programme builds on the e-learning experience of Newcastle University pioneered by courses such as MSc Oncology and Palliative Care which have trained more than 350 students since 2002. MClinRes Clinical Research and Ageing are other popular e-learning programmes offered by the university.

The MSc Oncology for the pharma industry course is suited to a wide range of pharmaceutical industry professionals, including medical liaison managers, oncology account managers, product specialists, hospital sales specialists, and pharmaceutical physicians. The programme is administered in association with the Northern Centre for Cancer Care and the Northern Institute of Cancer Research.

Two new modules will be added to the programme for the new academic year: Health Economics, and Cancer Drugs and Technologies. The objective of the expansion is to strengthen the commercial focus of the programme and provide additional options to students to customise the curriculum to fit their personal needs and time requirements.

EP News Bureau – Mumbai