Oriel Pharmacy Application: Useful Resources

Advice & Insight From Pre-Registration Recruitment Exam Specialists

Applying to your Foundation Training program can seem overwhelming at times – the process is long and complex, and therefore having the right resources at each point can make all the difference. Here, we will consider the application across three parts, and the resources that you might find useful for each.

Stage 1: Initial research for Foundation Training in Pharmacy

Initial research is vital. You should work to understand what kind of program you are interested in well before the application window opens. That means anything from the number of hours that you are expected to work, to the amount of time that you will have to study, to the type of program – through to the cost of the city, and the distance that you need to commute. Ideally, you should have some idea of top programs before the application window opens. So, how can you find this information?

First, consider whether you are more interested in community pharmacies or hospital training programs. If it’s the former, you can find a list of community pharmacies in specific areas through both the NHS website and local pharmaceutical committees. You can also try the National Pharmacy Association, or the Pharmaceutical Journal. The former has an interactive map on its site that allows you to search for programs in different areas. These are all resources that you should get used to using before the true process begins – in terms of hospital placements, all information is available through Oriel. However, you can also search for specific Foundation Trusts and their training program in advance, and research manually through their websites. This allows you to find core information before Oriel lets you apply.

Stage 2: Applying to Oriel Pharmacy

Next, you need to work through the application process itself. This involves filling out various sections of the application form, and then of course indicating which programs you prefer, and the ranking order for those same programs. In terms of the application process, you should consult the detailed guides that we have on our site, that serve as a summary of the applicant handbook – you can also confirm information with the official Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Recruitment Applicant Handbook for England and Wales. Further information can be found through the Health Education England website, which expands in detail on the purpose of the foundation training year, how long it has been running, and what you should expect to learn during it. You may also need to consult NHS Education for Scotland, if you have applied to Scottish training programs – it expands on the same information, but specific to the Scottish training track. Remember that you are able to apply to both the National (England and Wales) and Scottish Foundation programs, and in turn to hold or accept offers from both.

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Stage 3: Sitting your SJT and Numeracy Tests for Oriel Pharmacy

This is the area of the application process that requires the greatest amount of work, and of research – it’s where you can easily differentiate yourself from others. You should therefore spend adequate time researching and preparing each area. We offer dedicated free guides to both the SJT and Numeracy tests, as well as question banks that allow you to practise and compare your answers to those made by our team of doctors and pharmacists, who have prepared model answers for each question.

It is vital that you also make use of the official Foundation Program website, and look at the past papers for the SJT. They cover both previous versions and current versions of the test. You can also find a practice paper on the Pearson Vue website (the company that runs the test).

The past papers on the Foundation Program site are official and will be an accurate representation of the content – the practice paper on the Pearson Vue page is run using a replica of the real SJT, so allows you to experience the format of the true test. However, no rationales or answer keys are provided here. You should therefore combine both the official past papers and a question bank that is generated to represent them as accurately as possible. For the Numeracy test, you should once again make use of a question bank – we offer more than 100 questions from practising pharmacists, designed to mimic the real test as accurately as possible.