The year 2018 marked the fifth intake of students for the Doctorate in Pharmacy degree (https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/overview/PPDPHRFTT6-2018-9-O) at UM. This important milestone was celebrated during a networking event organised at the Ministry for Health, at Palazzo Castellania, on Tuesday 26 February.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Rights, Public Cleansing and Support for the Capital City Dr Deo Debattista, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (University of Malta), Professor Godfrey LaFerla and the Head of the Department of Pharmacy (University of Malta), Professor Lilian M. Azzopardi addressed students, alumni, staff and stakeholders who participated at the event.

The international Doctorate in Pharmacy course is offered by the Department of Pharmacy at UM in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago, US. Malta and the US boast of an excellent track record when it comes to patient-centred pharmacy curricula.

Today there are 31 alumni as a result of this Level 8 Doctorate three-year degree programme as well as 35 pharmacists who are currently enrolled in this programme. The programme has captured an international audience with presently students from sixteen countries across the world, namely Estonia, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Oman, Philippines, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Uganda and the United Kingdom. 

This unique programme empowers students to develop evidence-based research skills, clinical skills and clinical service delivery and to take leadership roles in clinical practice, within the areas of medication-use processes and service development. 

The Doctorate in Pharmacy programme provides an excellent opportunity for pharmacists to continue to develop professional competencies through innovative learning models, ultimately leading to bettering the services offered to the community, healthcare services and patients.