Pharmacy graduates are recognised as essential elements in the assistance circuit (in health and illness) for the population, taking into account the socio-geographical scope of pharmaceutical services throughout the country. Indeed, this relevance in the current panorama of the National Health Service is reflected in the integration of this professional class into the career of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technicians, which in itself is an important recognition of the specialisation of this professional activity, demanding the highest qualitative criteria in terms of the training of pharmacy graduates. Completion of the degree programme in Pharmacy at IPLUSO - Instituto Politécnico da Lusofonia gives access to the profession of Pharmacy Technician, regulated by Decree-Law 320/99 of 11 August. Pharmacy graduates can go on to postgraduate studies (Master's and PhD), as described in the organisation chart of the Portuguese Higher Education System, provided by NARIC.

One of the following sets: 02 Biology and Geology 07 Physics and Chemistry or 02 Biology and Geology 16 Maths or 02 Biology and Geology 18 Portuguese or 02 Biology and Geology 04 Economics or 02 Biology and Geology 06 Philosophy or 02 Biology and Geology 09 Geography

The primary objective of this curricular structure is to prepare Pharmacy graduates who can respond in a qualified manner to the needs of health service providers in general, with the aim of guaranteeing: - Essential knowledge for the dissemination and systematisation of fundamental concepts for the exercise of the profession of Pharmacy Technician, including aspects related to ethics and deontology, legislation and good standards of pharmacy practice; - Up-to-date teaching of the main areas of knowledge underlying qualified technical intervention in the different stages of the medicine circuit, namely the acquisition, production and/or handling, distribution, conservation, storage and stock management of medicines and related products; - Up-to-date teaching in other areas of knowledge and activity directly resulting from new areas of biopharmaceutical knowledge; - The ability to integrate dynamically and competently into healthcare teams, in close collaboration with other healthcare professionals, contributing to the rational use of medicines.

Future pharmacy technicians will have the opportunity to work in: - Hospital pharmacy; - Community pharmacy; - Technical managers of MNSRM sales outlets - The pharmaceutical industry, in various areas, including the production and quality control of medicines; - Food industry; - Chemical industry.

IPLUSO - Instituto Politécnico da Lusofonia has laboratories equipped with the necessary material to meet the scientific and pedagogical requirements and the quality of teaching in the 1st cycle of Pharmacy. The laboratories include: - Computer science; - Biology - Chemistry; - Pharmaceutical Technology; - Galenic Pharmacy.