Monash University to offer postgraduate prescribing education for pharmacists in Victoria

21 May 2025

Monash University is working towards becoming the first University in Victoria to offer postgraduate education for pharmacists ready to join the state's prescribing workforce.

On 20 May it was announced the Victorian Government is investing $18 million to enable pharmacists who complete postgraduate training to prescribe treatment for 22 health conditions, including asthma, nausea, ear infections, dermatitis and type 2 diabetes.

The significant move also means the government will fund pharmacist consultation fees for the expanded program so patients will be able to access the care they need without an out-of-pocket cost - an Australian first.

In response, Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS) is spearheading the development of a postgraduate course to support pharmacists to take on this prescribing role.

The FPPS team will collaborate with the University's strong network of experts in the area of prescribing to design the course. Monash already has existing education programs for various groups of healthcare prescribers, including medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, paramedics and podiatrists.

Director of Experiential Development and Graduate Education (EDGE) at FPPS, Associate Professor Steven Walker, said the move from the government to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists is a welcome and appropriate development for the pharmacy profession in Victoria.

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