About us
The Medway School of Pharmacy is a unique collaboration between the University of Greenwich and the University of Kent. A local shortage of qualified pharmacists resulted in both universities, supported by a professional liaison group, gaining approval to start the first cohort of Master of Pharmacy students in September 2004. These students successfully graduated in July 2008 and the school is now fully accredited and recognised as an established School of pharmacy.
The School is located at the heart of the new multi-university campus development at Chatham Maritime in Medway, Kent. This splendid Edwardian redbrick campus - dating from 1903 - has benefited from over £20 million capital investment since 1996. Extensive new laboratories and research facilities have opened and the campus has developed into a major higher education centre.
The Medway School of Pharmacy mission is “to produce through innovative teaching and research delivered in a supportive and caring environment, high quality professional graduates committed to lifelong learning”. Student care and support is therefore an essential part of our School and we were therefore delighted that the School achieved the highest institution satisfaction rating in the 2009 National Student Survey (NSS). There are currently approximately 650 undergraduates and 150 (FTE) postgraduates studying at the School.
The future of pharmacy lies in meeting patients’ needs through working in partnership with patients, other health care professionals, the National Health Service, and industry. Pharmacists are the only health care professionals with a unique knowledge of medicines from manufacture to their use in patients. Pharmacy offers a wide range of career options and further detail on these are provided on this site and links to other sites.
We have designed innovative patient focussed undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that address the needs of healthcare professionals. The changing role for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals has allowed the school to develop and refresh a portfolio of postgraduate courses, including: a multidisciplinary Postgraduate Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing and a Master’s programme in Medicines Management. As a dynamic School we have a commitment to the provision of life-long learning and Continuous Professional Development as exemplified by our ‘Skills for MURs’ programme which has now attracted many thousands of practising pharmacists.
Research is extremely important to the School and takes place alongside teaching under the guidance of our Director of Research. The School has already made a significant investment in facilities and equipment and will make further financial commitments to research over the coming years. The School will continue to evolve a strong interdisciplinary approach to research and aims to enhance its’ internationally recognised reputation in identified research areas. We currently have a vibrant PhD student group with over thirty candidates currently researching with various staff members across our three areas of biological sciences; chemistry and drug delivery; and clinical and professional practice.
The School has an experienced and dedicated team of staff comprising academic scientists, pharmacists and teacher practitioners seconded from the NHS, together with administrative and technical personnel.
I hope that the website has provided you with the information you required, please contact us if you have any further questions about the School.
Professor Iain Cumming
Head of School
