Taking a Prescribing Skills Assessment is a very important step in the process of becoming a pharmacist. A good score is essential in the process of getting a new position, as well as being able to prove that you are qualified to take on new responsibilities. The following article will discuss the PSA, the results, and how to prepare.
Preparing for the PSA
Taking the Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA) is a major test of clinical skills for medical students. It is usually taken in the final year of study at a medical school. A good preparation guide will help to improve your chances of passing the PSA.
The most important part of the PSA is the prescribing section. This is where you will be tested on your knowledge of different types of medicines and their uses. It can be difficult to pass this part of the test, because some of the questions can be quite tricky. There are over 1,000 questions to choose from in this section. These questions are written by experts from various medical schools.
Another key part of the PSA is the calculations section. This is where you will be required to make calculations, such as doses of medicines. You will also need to find out the normal range of values for certain investigations.
Scoring the PSA
Getting a good score on the Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA) will prove that you are qualified to prescribe medicines in the UK. The test is made up of eight sections totalling 200 marks, and has been designed to measure the safe and effective use of medicines.
The test is administered online and comprises eight sections, each containing questions on a different aspect of clinical practice. Questions cover paediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, medicine, and general practice.
The PSA website describes it as a test designed to measure the skills required to prescribe safely and effectively. It contains an online calculator, which will help you to perform calculations. However, a real scientific calculator will be easier to use and will perform more functions.
The best way to prepare for the PSA is to attend sessions offered by your medical school. In addition, make sure you bring a calculator to the test. The calculator will prove invaluable to help you work out answers to questions.
Results of the PSA
Developed in 2010, the Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) is an online assessment designed to demonstrate candidate’s knowledge of safe and effective use of medicines. Designed for final year medical students, PSA is based on the UK General Medical Council’s prescribing competencies.
The PSA comprises eight sections, totalling 200 marks. Different sections explore different aspects of prescribing. This includes medicines, advising and patient information. The sections also reflect the skills required for supervising patients prescribed medicines by other healthcare professionals.
PSA questions are written by doctors. The questions cover a wide range of topics, such as medicine, surgery, psychiatry and paediatrics. Each section has a specific style of question and reflects different aspects of prescription review and patient information.
Prescribing is an important part of clinical governance. Assessing prescribing competence is critical. However, research shows that prescribing can be one of the most challenging tasks for graduates. Therefore, additional assessment tools are needed to improve the safety of prescribing.
PSA for pharmacists
Founded in 1977, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is a national professional organisation for pharmacists. It is dedicated to the provision of high quality education, practice support and continuing professional development. The PSA also works to advance pharmacist recognition and remuneration. PSA has a strong membership base and works to improve the health of all Australians.
PSA is the custodian of professional practice standards. PSA works with its members to develop and implement guidelines and standards that protect patients and ensure pharmacists are appropriately trained. PSA’s vision is to see pharmacists as frontline health professionals who can make a difference to the health of Australia’s population.
The PSA is a registered training organisation. Pharmacists have the opportunity to participate in add-on training packages for pharmacists in RACFs. PSA also offers a career pathway for pharmacists, including add-on training packages for general practice pharmacists.
PSA has been at the forefront of advocating for pharmacists to have a more significant role in medication reviews. In August, PSA introduced a new referral pathway for medication reviews. This was a response to feedback from pharmacists, who expressed concern about the quality of the referral process. PSA has also advocated for pharmacists to provide medication reviews outside the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and has supported the implementation of telehealth options for HMRs.