Jae recently completed her trainee pharmacist year, working within a general practice and a community pharmacy and has just started the next chapter of her journey as a hospital pharmacist. In this story, she shares how the trainee foundation year was incredibly insightful and allowed her to grow both personally and professionally.

I was very nervous at the start of my trainee foundation year.

It was my first full-time role and my first real step into the working world. Everything felt new, from adjusting to a 9 – 5 routine to navigating professional expectations. Working in a GP felt especially intimidating at first as I was surrounded by experienced GPs, nurses, paramedics and clinical pharmacists who all seemed very confident and knowledgeable. I had to quickly learn new systems and navigate multidisciplinary team processes. Community pharmacy came with its own challenges – the pace was fast and there was a steep learning curve. I was trying to absorb a huge amount of new information all at once. I definitely experienced imposter syndrome during those early weeks.

At the beginning of my trainee year, imposter syndrome was my biggest challenge.

I constantly questioned myself: Will I really be ready to be a pharmacist after this one year of training? The weight of the responsibility felt overwhelming at times, and I often doubted whether I could grow into that role in only 12 months.

Another major challenge was balancing full-time work with exam preparation. Working full-time in two different settings was already demanding, and finding the motivation and time to revise after a long day was tough. There were moments where I felt like I was falling behind. It took careful planning, strong support and self-compassion to keep going.

I made a conscious effort to set boundaries and make my mental health and wellbeing a priority.

These boundaries included even just small ones like not checking emails on my day off, making sure to take proper breaks and making good use of my annual leave when I felt I needed to recharge. I also got back into exercising, which really helped my overall wellbeing. I also signed up to Pharmacist Support’s newsletter, which reminded me that I wasn’t alone. Knowing that Pharmacist Support was always there if I needed help gave me a sense of reassurance.

My Top Trainee Tips are:

1. Save your annual leaves for your assessment. I set aside about two weeks specifically for revision and used them right before my exam. I’d recommend taking at least a week off before the exam and discuss this early with your supervisor.
2. Don’t feel pressured to start studying on day 1 of training. Everyone learns differently. Trust your own study style and plan your revision in a way that works for you, rather than comparing yourself to others.
3. Trainee year is all about learning, not a test. Be open, be curious and take every opportunity to ask questions. I asked at least 5 questions every day and this became one of the best ways for me to build knowledge and confidence.
4. Build a good relationship with your supervisor(s) and colleagues. Feeling comfortable enough to ask for guidance or discuss concerns can make a huge difference for you. If you’re struggling, speak up.
5. Check out the ‘Trainee Experience’ page on the Pharmacist Support website. It offers information on different stages of the trainee year. I highly recommend reading it through before starting your trainee year, so you can be prepared and know where to turn when you need help.
6. If you find yourself struggling, your supervisor will be the first point of contact (if you’re comfortable). If that’s not an option, remember that Pharmacist Support is there for you, no matter what challenges you’re facing. It’s always best to talk about any struggles early on as reaching out sooner gives you more time and options to find solutions and get the support you need.

Wishing you all the very best for your trainee year – believe in yourself and remember, you’ve got this!