My Postgraduate Journey as a IMU's Master in Pharmacy Practice Student - International Medical University Malaysia

I am Sri YogaPrita Gunasegran, who is currently pursuing my part-time Master in Pharmacy Practice (MPP) programme at IMU, specialising in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy in 2014, I started working as a pharmacist in Hospital Kuala Lumpur for 8 years. I always wanted to further my master’s programme in pharmacy, but it was difficult while I was working.

The question that always arises in me is, “Will I be able to pursue my dream of furthering my studies? But gratefully, when I went to the education fair back in 2021 and did some surveys on the internet, I found IMU. The beautiful thing about the IMU postgraduate programme, which I found out from the Programme Director, is that the MPP programme provides much flexibility as it is convenient for the student with its option of part-time courses and full-time courses, flexible studying hours, and flexibility in allowing the students to decide on which module to be taken each semester.

Besides that, it has four streams, which allow me to choose based on the field I am currently engaged in. This is the main reason I enrolled in it, and this made me choose IMU as my first choice to pursue my postgraduate studies. The online teaching method and flexible schedule allowed me to complete both commitments at the same time. I am currently working as a methadone outpatient pharmacist, and the stream I have chosen in MPP is Social and Administrative Pharmacy, which really helps me in the department I am currently working in to develop the pharmacy better.

My IMU Journey
In the subject of research methodology, I have acquired knowledge about the theoretical, ethical, and methodological aspects of conducting research in the fields of medicine and health sciences. This includes understanding the concepts and processes involved in research activities across different disciplines. Additionally, the evidence-based practice subjects have provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary for the quality use of medications: safety, efficacy, acceptability in the care of individual patients, application in evidence-based practice, and pharmacovigilance. The subject of social pharmacy teaches me to study the role of medicines, patients, and pharmacists based on the principles, methodologies, and theories of the social and havebehavioural sciences and their application to pharmacy practice in the promotion of medication utilisation and management, patients’ health, and illness. In addition, the MPP programme offers a diverse range of research topics for the master’s research project, spanning areas such as clinical, community, social and preventive medicine, as well as patient and public education. The research methodology component equips us with the necessary skills to prepare for future research endeavours. It educates us on grant-seeking, literature review, objective setting, method planning, and the execution of research activities. As all datelines for significant submissions are discussed and communicated to the students at the beginning of the semester, assignments, tests, tutorials, and deadlines were quite manageable. The ability to plan and schedule our work, group meetings, and assignment submission dates has been a huge help to all of us in the postgraduate programme. IMU lecturers are very knowledgeable and helpful, and they regularly check in with us to make sure we are keeping up with our homework and studies. To keep everyone informed, there is constant communication via WhatsApp, TEAMS meetings, and group emails. Additionally, the lecturers’ focus and their words of wisdom and encouragement keep us inspired during these trying times.

My IMU Journey

In the subject of research methodology, I have acquired knowledge about the theoretical, ethical, and methodological aspects of conducting research in the fields of medicine and health sciences. This includes understanding the concepts and processes involved in research activities across different disciplines. Additionally, the evidence-based practice subjects have provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary for the quality use of medications: safety, efficacy, acceptability in the care of individual patients, application in evidence-based practice, and pharmacovigilance.

The subject of social pharmacy teaches me to study the role of medicines, patients, and pharmacists based on the principles, methodologies, and theories of the social and havebehavioural sciences and their application to pharmacy practice in the promotion of medication utilisation and management, patients’ health, and illness.

In addition, the MPP programme offers a diverse range of research topics for the master’s research project, spanning areas such as clinical, community, social and preventive medicine, as well as patient and public education. The research methodology component equips us with the necessary skills to prepare for future research endeavours. It educates us on grant-seeking, literature review, objective setting, method planning, and the execution of research activities.

As all datelines for significant submissions are discussed and communicated to the students at the beginning of the semester, assignments, tests, tutorials, and deadlines were quite manageable. The ability to plan and schedule our work, group meetings, and assignment submission dates has been a huge help to all of us in the postgraduate programme.

IMU lecturers are very knowledgeable and helpful, and they regularly check in with us to make sure we are keeping up with our homework and studies. To keep everyone informed, there is constant communication via WhatsApp, TEAMS meetings, and group emails. Additionally, the lecturers’ focus and their words of wisdom and encouragement keep us inspired during these trying times.

I am confident that the knowledge and skills I acquired through the MPP programme will make me a well-rounded future pharmacist with a set of desirable and necessary competencies. By expanding my knowledge of various pharmacy services in Malaysia, the MPP programme will improve society’s long-term health and well-being.

Written by Sri YogaPrita Gunasegran
Reviewed by Dr Palanisamy Sivanandy