NEWS
Leading strategic direction in pharmacy education
The School of Pharmacy at RGU has underwent many changes in the last decade, one of the most fundamental being the individual Schools of Pharmacy and Life Sciences merging in 2008 to become PALS.
PALS is responsible for delivering teaching excellence and applied research not only in Pharmacy, but in Forensic Science, Analytical Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences and Nutrition and Dietetics. The merger of several complimentary areas of expertise has facilitated a far better understanding of how science and practice can be successfully integrated and a greater ability to deliver fresh and relevant teaching.
Now, this teaching excellence is to be promoted even further with the appointment of a new Associate Head of School, Dr Susan Duthie. Speaking to the Scottish Pharmacist Dr Duthie is looking forward to developing this new role whilst assisting pharmacy students with the tougher working climate they now face.
Much has been made on the decision not to cap pharmacy student numbers having a damaging impact on the future of the profession, a concern shared by Dr Duthie.
“Graduate employment is obviously a significant concern,” she says. “With regards to Pharmacy specifically, the decision not to cap Pharmacy student numbers, together with the increase in the number of Schools of Pharmacy in the UK, has led to an overproduction of young pharmacists seeking their
20 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
first job who are now graduating into a far tougher career environment than ever before.”
Dr Duthie joined RGU in September 2014 from The Rowett Research Institute of Nutrition and Health at the University of Aberdeen where she worked as a Principal Research Scientist. She succeeds Professor Andrew Morrison who retired in August 2014.
Having obtained a Bachelor of Science degree (hons) in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen in 1985, and upon completion of a Masters Degree (by research) within the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics in 1988, Dr Duthie went on to achieve her PhD within the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Aberdeen in 1992 on the metabolism and toxicity of anticancer agents in human liver in vitro and in vivo.
Dr Duthie then took up appointment at The Rowett Research Institute, investigating the impact of diet on biomarkers of human health and disease. However coming from such an academic background has presented somewhat of a challenge.
“Coming from a pure research background, where your expertise and profile is judged on what are essentially tangible outputs, such as peer-reviewed publications and grant income, it is quite a culture shock to have a senior management role that primarily involves strategic development in higher education,” she says.
“That said, research is a developing area within both PALS and RGU in general and I believe that the analytical and organisational skills that I have acquired throughout my scientific career will allow me to contribute fully to both aspects of the School.”
The School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences at RGU is renowned for its innovation and in Dr Duthie reveals plans for even more exciting programmes underway. “We have secured Scottish Government funding to explore the feasibility of teaching pharmacy and medical students jointly as part of an IPE initiative,” she says.
“Internationalisation is a key area for PALS and we are currently launching a new online MSc for pharmacists in Oman in partnership with NHSH (highland), with expectations that this will become a model for more E-Learning based teaching in this area. “In addition, we are using our considerable expertise in applied chemistry to developing a new analytical MSc course in partnership with the Oil and Gas Institute at RGU. “Nutrition and food technology is a significant area commercially in Scotland, and we are currently developing a postgraduate degree that will provide graduates with all the skills and expertise to grow the Scottish Food and Drink sector.”
Concluding with a glimpse into the School’s future plans she says, “This post will allow me the opportunity to contribute to leading the School’s future developments both in teaching and research. I am delighted to be working together with staff to ensure that the students graduating from RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences have all the skills necessary to meet the needs of a challenging environment.
“We will continue to promote internationalisation throughout our growing suite of diverse undergraduate and postgraduate courses and to provide top quality education and employment prospects to all our pharmacy and science students.”
Susan Duthie
Dr Duthie is a Senior Member of the Institute for Health and Wellbeing Research (IHWR). She is particularly interested in understanding how nutrition, especially the B vitamins (such as folate, vitamin B12 and riboflavin), and other dietary nutrients including polyphenols and vitamin D influence human health and disease, including cancer, vascular disease and dementia.
She has published more than 90 refereed papers, 10 book chapters and invited reviews and also been an invited or plenary speaker at more than 30 national and international conferences since 2000, describing her work on B vitamins and homocysteine, on genomic stability and cancer and cognitive function and dementia, and has presented to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), The National Institute of Health (NIH) and at the World Conference on Hyperhomocysteinemia.
She sits of the editorial boards of several journals including the British Journal of Nutrition, The Journal of Nutritional Science and Clinical Science and is currently a member of the FSA UK Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP).
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