Stepping into your first role as a newly qualified pharmacist can feel daunting, whichever sector it is. Your first year will involve steep learning curves and occasional setbacks. That’s normal. What defines you is how you learn from each experience and how you maintain safe, patient-centred care.

Read more: What do pharmacists need to know about serious shortage protocols?  

Accept you won’t know everything 

No newly qualified pharmacist knows everything and neither does any experienced pharmacist! Don’t be afraid to double check the British National Formulary (BNF) or ask a senior colleague for support.  

This isn’t weakness, it’s safe practice. Trust your training but don’t put pressure on yourself to have instant answers. 

Prioritising 

As a hospital pharmacist, I’m juggling new admissions, planned discharges, medicines queries, supply issues, meetings, teaching sessions and more.  

When I locum in community, it’s checking prescriptions, appointments for services, the phone ringing, controlled drugs checks and deliveries.  

Your workload will rarely arrive in a neat order. Get used to triaging tasks based on clinical risk, time pressure and patient impact. This may mean juggling walk-ins with services or balancing discharges with new admissions.  

Engage with your multidisciplinary team (MDT) 

Pharmacy is collaborative. Technicians, dispensers, nurses, GPs, junior doctors and senior pharmacists each bring different strengths. Building rapport early helps your day run smoother and accelerates your learning. 

Read more: How should a methadone spillage be dealt with in the pharmacy? 

Every patient encounter is a learning opportunity 

I’m always using opportunities to present interesting cases as part of my clinical diploma and portfolio of practice. This helps me to reflect on what I’ve learnt and what I need to improve on in the future.  

Treat each patient interaction as a chance to hone your knowledge and skills, and use this to improve your confidence. These skills become invaluable as your clinical responsibilities grow. 

Keep your resources close 

Regularly use the BNF, the summary of product characteristic (SmPC), local guidelines, patient group directions (PGDs) and formulary systems. Evidence-based resources keep decision-making safe, especially early in your career. Nobody expects you to rely on memory alone. 

Read more: What pharmacists should advise returning travellers 

Document well 

My documentation has saved me several times during on-call queries out of hours. Often you are working together with other healthcare professionals in the middle of the night, and sometimes advice can be misunderstood over the phone. Good documentation can ensure clarity and patient safety are maintained even out of hours.  

In hospital, ensure discharge information is clear and complete. In community, record consultations, clinical advice and medicine queries. Good communication across sectors prevents errors and delays. Accurate documentation protects patients and you. 

Speak up if it doesn’t look right 

Newly qualified pharmacists often notice risks and errors that others overlook. Escalating concerns is a professional requirement, not a sign of inexperience. If something feels wrong, raise it. 

Read more: What you should know about the ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign 

Keep learning 

There are so many great courses I’ve done to learn more about a topic, from cancer to substance misuse. They have led to new interests I wouldn’t have discovered in my regular practice.  

CPD doesn’t stop after registration. Attend training, reflect on your practice and stay up to date with changing guidance. Roles are evolving quickly, and developing good learning habits early will future proof your career. 

The human side of pharmacy 

Having been a locum pharmacist in community, you can often be placed in uncomfortable situations with angry patients. It’s important to listen to them, have empathy with their situation and work together to create a solution.  

Your clinical knowledge matters, but how you treat patients matters just as much. Patients may be anxious, unwell or overwhelmed. A calm, respectful and patient-centred approach builds trust and improves outcomes. 

Read more: Pharmacy revalidation: what do you need to submit? 

Be open-minded about your career path 

I didn’t know I would end up in paediatrics. I had thought I would take the usual career of working in adults, but having enjoyed my time at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, that led me to applying to Great Ormond Street Hospital and I haven’t looked back since.  

You don’t need a long-term plan on day one. Pharmacy offers so many routes, including clinical specialisms, community leadership, PCN roles, digital health, industry and more. Stay curious and explore opportunities as they arise. 

Nabeel Syed is a clinical pharmacist in paediatrics at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.  He's chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) early careers expert advisory group and also a General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) standard setting panel member.