The UCL School of Pharmacy, led by Professor Louise Brown (Head of Teaching for the UCL Department of Practice and Policy), welcomed Doctor of Pharmacy students and faculty (led by Christy Sherrill and Sarah Merritt) from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy in May 2026 for a faculty-led elective examining the evolving role of pharmacist independent prescribing within the UK healthcare system.
Developed through the PharmAlliance partnership, the programme provided students with first-hand experience of UK pharmacy practice, enabling them to compare healthcare delivery in the United Kingdom and the United States while exploring how pharmacists contribute to patient care in a range of clinical settings. The elective also encouraged students to reflect on global healthcare trends and the value of international collaboration in shaping their future professional practice.
Before arriving in London, students completed a series of preparatory learning activities, including online lectures on global health and pharmacist independent prescribing delivered by UNC faculty. They also undertook simulation-based learning using the MyDispense virtual community pharmacy platform, where they were introduced to UK prescription workflows, legal requirements and dispensing practices before beginning their placements. These resources were co-designed by Adam Phillips (UCL School of Pharmacy Lead for Digital Education) and Associate Professor Clark Kebodeaux (University of Kentucky and Lead for MyDispense USA chapter)
A highlight of the programme was an immersive study day hosted by UCL School of Pharmacy Research Department of Practice and Policy teaching focused academics who are also pharmacist independent prescribers (Anika Ahmad, Tasneem Kapadia and Michael Leech). They led the delivery of several interactive workshops and introduced students to the UK healthcare system, the education and training required for pharmacist independent prescribing, and the expanding role of pharmacists in primary and secondary care. Interactive clinical simulation activities further developed students’ clinical reasoning and decision-making skills in preparation for experiential placements. Students also met with PharmAlliance UCL Student Domain Leads, who shared their perspectives on pharmacy education and collaborative student leadership within the international partnership.
Throughout the week, students completed placements across community pharmacies Day Lewis Pharmacy (led by Ade Olayide) and Pearl Chemist Group ( led by Ketan Agravat) and NHS primary care clinical services hosted by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, led by Deputy Chief Pharmacist Anshu Rayan. These experiences included pharmacists prescrbing in mental health, addictions, ADHD prescribing, eating disorder services and community health teams, providing valuable insight into the breadth of pharmacist-led care within the UK healthcare system.
By combining academic teaching, simulation and experiential learning, the elective enabled students to develop a deeper understanding of pharmacist prescribing while strengthening their intercultural communication skills and appreciation of global healthcare systems.
The faculty-led elective reflects PharmAlliance’s commitment to delivering innovative international education that prepares future pharmacists to collaborate across healthcare systems and address evolving global health challenges.
Contact info: Sophia Mortha smortha@live.unc.edu.