Pharmacists with foreign education key asset to Swedish pharmacy

During the height of the migrant crisis in the autumn of 2015, more than 162,000 people sought asylum in Sweden. Many of the refugees were highly educated with extensive professional experience, among them many pharmacists. In order to accelerate their entry into the Swedish labor market, Uppsala University was commissioned by the Ministry of Education to coordinate and carry out complementary education as a way to obtain a Swedish pharmacist license. Today, the success is indisputable

“A report from the Swedish Higher Education Authority show that within three years after completing their studies, 79 percent of our participants are established on the Swedish labor market. Of these, 93 percent work in a profession with a direct connection to their education. These are gratifying results that confirm that the Programme and its content is both relevant and provides important skills to Swedish pharmacy,” says Parvaneh Aghazari, National Programme Coordinator.

In autumn 2022, Uppsala University expanded its Complementary Programme with a third semester: Swedish for academic studies for pharmacists with a foreign degree. This term is developed in collaboration with the Department of Scandinavian Languages, guaranteeing high-quality teaching in the Swedish language and providing the students even better tools to communicate with future colleagues, healthcare staff and patients.

“For many students, insufficient language skills became a time thief and cause of stress. Our teachers also identified language barriers as an obstacle to knowledge transfer. Today, we start the programme with the language semester, that is so far characterised by good results and positive students, while we of course continue to follow up on the results to adjust the content if necessary,” says Parvaneh Aghazari.

Students of pharmacy in general have a lot to look forward to at their graduation day. According to a new report by the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations, low competition for pharmaceutical jobs is expected to prevail until at least 2028. A similar prediction is given by the Swedish Public Employment Service, which in an overview of 15 professions worth investing in recommends a career as a pharmacist or prescriptionist.

“Our Barometer shows great career opportunities for both prescriptionists and pharmacists, a trend estimated will continue in at least five years' time. So if you are not sure about your future, you should definitely apply to start your studies,” advises labor market analyst Kerstin Eriksson.

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt