UNSW equips students with hands-on training to tackle Australia’s pharmacist shortage

From dispensing medicines to managing complex patient interactions, UNSW Sydney’s simulation pharmacy is preparing students for frontline care.

A new full-sized simulation pharmacy at the UNSW Health Translation Hub is immersing students in realistic scenarios to build job-ready skills, as Australia faces a national pharmacist shortage, particularly in regional and rural areas.

Pharmacists play a critical role in helping people lead healthy lives - supporting patients to manage chronic conditions, stay well and get the best possible outcomes from their medicines. As the profession evolves, their role continues to expand well beyond traditional dispensing into more advanced clinical services.

The purpose-built simulation pharmacy reflects this shift, replicating the pressures and complexities pharmacists face today. Students can practise patient counselling, clinical decision-making and interprofessional collaboration in a safe, supervised environment before entering the workforce.

Dean of UNSW Medicine & Health Professor Cheryl Jones said preparing a future-ready health workforce was a core priority for the faculty.

“Facilities like the simulation pharmacy allow students to develop the skills, confidence and professional judgement they need to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care from day one,” Prof. Jones said.

“By embedding hands-on, immersive learning into our programs, we are ensuring graduates are well equipped to meet the evolving needs of patients and health systems across Australia.”

Training for a changing profession

UNSW students will use the simulation pharmacy as a core part of their training, gaining experience before transitioning into clinical placements and professional practice. The facility also supports lifelong learning, providing opportunities for practising pharmacists to upskill and integrate with clinicians.

UNSW Pharmacy Academic Lead Associate Professor Ramesh Walpola said the simulation space would benefit both students and the broader health workforce.

“This brand-new space will enable our students to bridge the gap into new areas of practice, while also allowing current practitioners to come in, gain experience and take those skills back into the real world,” A/Prof. Walpola said.

“It’s about building confidence, capability and adaptability - qualities that are essential in today’s evolving healthcare landscape.”

UNSW Pharmacy Lecturer Michelle Bonnette said the simulation pharmacy was a game-changer for the future of health.

“Having access to different disciplines across academia, while also being directly connected to a hospital environment, creates a powerful learning experience focused on the patient.”

A unique feature of UNSW’s simulation pharmacy is its flexible design, which allows fixtures to be reconfigured to replicate both traditional and emerging models of community and hospital pharmacy within a single space. This flexibility helps students prepare more effectively for clinical placements and equips graduates with practical experience that enhances their employability as they enter the workforce.

Fostering the future of health

The simulation pharmacy is housed within the UNSW Health Translation Hub, a 35,600 square metre facility designed to bring education, research and healthcare delivery together under one roof. It is one of the largest life sciences developments in Australia.

The UNSW Health Translation Hub offers a uniquely interdisciplinary learning environment, connecting future health professionals directly with industry, clinicians and the community. Students engage across disciplines - from medicine and allied health to population health and biomedical engineering - working alongside researchers and practitioners on real-world challenges.

Developed in partnership by UNSW Sydney and leading infrastructure developer Plenary, the UNSW Health Translation Hub reflects the University’s commitment to producing a workforce equipped to meet Australia’s future health needs.