Top tips for newly qualified pharmacists

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Making the leap to practising as a newly qualified pharmacist brings challenges, but also tangible rewards. Registering as a pharmacist is “a major achievement and the start of a journey of professional development”, says Justine Scanlan, director of pharmacy at the Royal College of Pharmacy.

Scanlan says this year is “an historic and exciting time for the pharmacy profession”. For the first time, newly qualified pharmacists will enter practice as prescribers, taking on significant extra responsibility for patient care and delivering an expanding range of clinical services, she says.

Regardless of this, qualifying as a pharmacist is still a major step change for the individual. “As a foundation year pharmacist you are closely supervised, but when you are the pharmacist in charge, you are the one doing the clinical check on prescriptions,” says Kenny Chan, lead information services pharmacist at Numark. It is a big step up in mindset and approach.

“You will be the one the pharmacy team comes to for answers,” he says. “This may feel overwhelming at first with the fear of making a mistake -- but take your time, don’t rush. If something doesn’t feel right, stop and review. A short delay is better than an unsafe decision.”

Pharmacists should use all the resources they have at their disposal, including the BNF, SOPs, PGDs and local guidelines, and ask for support if unsure about anything. Is there another clinician who could help? The prescriber can always be contacted for clarity if needed, Chan points out. Knowing where to look for guidance is vital.

The Medicines, Ethics and Practice (MEP) guide is a “go-to resource”, he says, while the GPhC and Royal College of Pharmacy have lots of guidance on how to practise safely. Also, SOPs are there “to protect patients and staff -- so when in doubt, always refer back to the procedure”.

Be clear and calm

New pharmacists may not feel as though they should be leading the pharmacy when they have the least experience, but the support team will still look to them for support, says Chan. “Pharmacists will be the ones making the decisions, prioritising tasks, managing workload and ensuring safe processes.”

So acknowledge the experience of the team and ask for their input, he says. Be clear and consistent. Communicate expectations calmly and kindly. “People respond well to clarity. Simple things like active listening, constructive feedback and staying calm under pressure will go a long way.”

For those with the role of being the responsible pharmacist, “this means being accountable for everything that happens in a community pharmacy, even if you’re there just for the day”, explains Liam Stapleton, senior lecturer at Lincoln School of Pharmacy and a training consultant. Responsible pharmacists need to “ask, check and challenge because they are the ones who are accountable”, he emphasises.

The increase in responsibility and expectation to make decisions independently is “the biggest change for those who are newly qualified”, says Ishika Patel, branch manager for Kamsons Pharmacy in Bolding Way, Haywards Heath, who qualified in 2025. Patel started as a relief pharmacist for the company and then took on the branch manager role in December. She says that she immediately felt the weight on her shoulders and it all seemed daunting at first.

Patel advises new pharmacists to “trust in the knowledge and skills you have developed, make use of the resources available, take the initiative and use the support of your team. Ultimately, it’s about putting everything you have learned into practice”.

Newly qualified pharmacists are building their confidence and professional judgement while adapting to the demands of practice, agrees Justine Scanlan. “It is important new pharmacists understand their own limits, communicate effectively with patients and colleagues, and have the confidence to ask questions -- and say no when they believe something is outside of their competence.”

Self-reflection is important

New pharmacists may worry about making the wrong call, show hesitation when faced with high-risk medicines or be anxious about being judged by more experienced colleagues, says Kenny Chan. This can lead to over-checking, delays or avoiding decisions altogether.

“This is normal and becomes easier with experience,” he says. “Looking things up is expected; it is not a sign of weakness. Shadow colleagues who have more experience and see how decisions are made in practice. Reflect on those decisions -- look at what went well and what could be done differently,” he says.

The pace of work may also come as a shock. New pharmacists often struggle to balance clinical checks, patient counselling, service delivery and administrative tasks, says Chan. “Prioritise what is urgent. What tasks cannot be done by someone else? Use the skill set of the team effectively,” he advises.

“Learning how to prioritise and having a sense of urgency without compromising patient safety are important skills to develop,” says Ishika Patel. “The more times you do a task, the more efficient you become as you develop your own processes and attention to detail.”

“Be clear about what you need to do within the day,” agrees Liam Stapleton. “Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to other people, and don’t try to do everything yourself!”

Understand your audience

New pharmacists may find it challenging to explain complex information to patients, handle difficult conversations such as complaints, or adapt their communication style for patients, colleagues and other healthcare professionals, says Kenny Chan.

“Understand your audience and know who you are speaking to. A patient may need simple information, such as basic instructions about how and why they should take their medication. Explanations should never be complicated in medical terms compared to talking to a healthcare professional, who could require detailed information to aid clinical decision-making.”

“Try to put yourself in your patient’s shoes,” says Hollie Ryder, senior independent prescribing pharmacist for the NPA and a senior lecturer in clinical pharmacy practice at the University of Hertfordshire. “Show empathy, respect and listen to your patients. You need to be flexible and supportive of their differing needs.”

As far as colleagues are concerned, it can often be difficult to navigate relationships, especially if a new pharmacist is working in the same environment where they trained, says Kenny Chan. “So value the experience of your team and learn from them. This will build cooperation.”

First impressions matter

It is important for community pharmacists, in their first week or so in a new pharmacy, to introduce themselves to local GP practices or other healthcare professionals they might be working closely with and start to build relationships, says Hollie Ryder.

“More and more, community pharmacy is delivering services to help take away pressure from GPs. Pharmacists need to be clear as to how they can help them reduce that pressure. Set the boundaries early on. If you say yes to tasks you are not yet competent to complete, you are risking patient safety -- and later down the line it becomes hard to start saying no.”

Pharmacy is constantly evolving, and keeping up with new guidelines, medicines and services can feel daunting. Kenny Chan advises having a realistic plan of continuing professional development. “Set aside time each week for learning, so it doesn’t become a big task. Focus on topics that arise in practice and use trusted recommended resources rather than trying to read everything that is out there,” he says.

“There is still a lot to learn when you start,” says Liam Stapleton. “It’s about identifying what are the most important things to do, and using authoritative and respected resources to help you like those from CPPE and Pharmacy Magazine.”

You’re not alone

Newly qualified pharmacists “don’t have to navigate the transition alone”, says Kenny Chan. “There is a whole system of people and resources for offering advice, reassurance and practical support -- and one of the most important early steps is learning how to use this network.”

Within the workplace, experienced pharmacists, pharmacy managers and clinical leads often act as natural role models, he says. Shadowing them for part of a shift, asking how they would approach a tricky situation, or simply asking, ‘what do you wish you’d known when you first qualified?’ can open up valuable learning opportunities and honest guidance, he says.

Peer support is also especially powerful in the early years. “Fellow newly qualified pharmacists, friends from university or colleagues in the same foundation programme often share similar experiences and doubts. Informal peer groups or chat channels can be used to discuss anonymised cases, swap practical tips, share useful resources and, importantly, reassure each other that feelings of uncertainty or imposter syndrome are common but temporary,” says Chan.

Professional and regulatory bodies also play an important role. National organisations such as the Royal College of Pharmacy and the GPhC provide guidance, standards, best practice documents and structured learning resources. However, emotional and wellbeing support is often just as important as clinical and professional guidance. “Occupational health services, employee assistance programmes, counselling and mental health support lines like those from Pharmacist Support can help pharmacists cope with stress, anxiety and the emotional impact of responsibility,” he says.

Pitfalls to avoid

There are always some common pitfalls to avoid. A recurring one is for young pharmacists to try to prove themselves by never asking for help. “Many new pharmacists feel they must show they are fully competent from day one, so they avoid checking things with colleagues or looking up guidance,” warns Chan. “This can lead to unnecessary stress and, in the worst cases, unsafe decisions.”

The healthier and much better approach is to normalise questioning. Talking to senior colleagues is “part of good practice, not a sign of weakness”, he says.

This year sees the first cohort of newly registered pharmacist prescribers, but “don’t feel you need to start prescribing from day one”, says Hollie Ryder. “I would suggest using the first six months to embed yourself into practice and gain more experience as a pharmacist.”

Taking the leap

The first couple of months for newly qualified pharmacists can feel intimidating, but the only way to feel more confident is by taking the leap and jumping right into the work. “Face the challenges. You are more than capable of tackling any situation -- so be excited about new opportunities,” says Ishika Patel.

New pharmacists should never compare themselves to their more experienced colleagues, she continues. “This is the start of your journey, so learn how to navigate yourself and develop your own judgement. Your goal in the first year should be about building confidence, good communication, patient safety and efficiency.”

Justine Scanlan also believes that registering as a newly qualified pharmacist is “the start of a professional journey, not the end of learning”. New pharmacists are not expected to have every answer straight away -- but they should know where to go to find the answer and where to seek support. “Confidence, capability and professional judgement build through experience, feedback and reflection, and there will always be people you can turn to as you develop your practice,” she says.

Finally, new pharmacists should be careful but confident in their decisions. Liam Stapleton puts it like this: “Always remember that the last five years have prepared you for this step. So embrace it.”