Qualification Profile

Master of Science ETH in Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences (D-CHAB) of the ETH Zürich provides an environment, where both teaching and research are conducted at the highest level. Teaching is in the responsibility of an international faculty, which is engaged in leading research on a broad range of important topics. The faculty members are, therefore, qualified to disseminate advanced knowledge in their fields. The curriculum includes compulsory and optional courses in the frame of an integral spectrum of subjects in pharmaceutical sciences and related areas. Students get a sound practical training in laboratory courses comprising a Master’s thesis. Experts from industry, hospitals and community pharmacies are involved in the state-of-the-art scientific and practical education and prepare graduates to become competent health professionals with expertise, experience and skills, to meet the high requirements and standards of their chosen professional discipline, in addition to the research-oriented education by the faculty members. A true professional qualification for a university graduate in pharmaceutical sciences and as a health professional is only attained at the Master’s level, postgraduate education is complete only after attaining a Ph.D.

Graduate education leading to the Master’s Certificate and to the Federal Diploma for Pharmacists provides a specialized pharmaceutical training under the heading “pharmaceutical network”. This gives a strong foundation in the various aspects of drugs, starting from drug discovery to action of active substances in the patient to prevent and treat illness, relieve symptoms and to assist in the diagnosis of disease.

The one-year residency (5^th year program) is dedicated to problem- and task-oriented learning in practice. It has been designed by many experts from community and hospital pharmacy under the supervision of the sub-commission of the Federal Commission for the Formation of Health Professionals (“Leitender Ausschuss für Medizinalprüfungen”). The concept of this one-year residency is national and is adopted by all pharmacy schools in Switzerland.

Professional knowledge and competences

Students with a Master degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Federal Diploma for Pharmacists will have reached a level where they will:

· be able to assume positions of responsibility in community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical industries, regulatory authorities, in the health care environment, including management roles, and be able to contribute to innovation;

· have a sound knowledge of the fundamental principles in pharmaceutical sciences within the pharmaceutical network;

· be experts on drug-related issues;

· understand and be able to apply the ‘scientific method’, that is, form hypotheses and design experiments to test them, be able to carry out scientific investigations;

· be able to synthesize knowledge and to investigate complex issues;

· be capable to care for patients in collaboration with other health care professionals;

· be able to analyze and critically appraise medical information and research, and be capable of applying these in the professional activity;

· be aware of the ethical, social, environmental, and economic implications of the work;

· have an understanding of the interrelationships between economy and the healthcare system and its various structures;

· recognize health-promoting factors and appreciate their value in the work.

General skills, attributes and social competence

Students with a Master degree in pharmaceutical sciences and the Federal Diploma for Pharmacists will have reached a level where they will:

· be able to analyze patient’s health problems comprehensively and understand the patients as individual personalities and in their social context;

· be able to execute team-oriented work on large-scale projects as well as on community level;

· promote human health;

· respect the dignity and the autonomy of human beings;

· be familiar with the foundations of ethics and with ethical problems in healthcare;

· understand the ethical and moral dimension of the professional activity, and take on responsibility towards the individual, the society and the environment;

· be able to professionally and empathically communicate with patients and with other care-givers in the healthcare environment and be able to communicate information, ideas, problems, solutions;

· be aware of the need of information at an adequate level of complexity;

· be analytical in the work on the basis of a broad and deep scientific knowledge, and accept the ambiguity and limitations of scientific knowledge;

· be able to learn from other disciplines, have an awareness of the need to update the knowledge and skills, and know how to get continuous education.

Prof. H. Wunderli-Allenspach

Vorsteherin D-CHAB

Zürich, den 13. Juli 2005