Stephan Kovacic

I am second generation Australian from Emu Plains, and the first in my family to go to university and get a degree. I am the oldest child of two, I enjoy most sports but love football, I’m an avid reader and I love socialising with friends.

I wanted to study the UTS Master of Pharmacy because I’ve had a long standing affiliation with the pharmaceutical profession through family friends, so it was always a career path I thought of taking. During my Bachelor degree, I worked at a community pharmacy and from there I developed a passion for the profession. Now I am hoping to make a life out of it.

I chose to study at the UTS Graduate School of Health after attending an information night where the details of the course were fully explained and I was convinced to continue my studies at UTS. This degree best reflected the evolving community pharmacy scene and had the potential to prepare me for acquiring a job in pharmacy better than any other university could.

Completing a master’s degree is a constant challenge but it’s also really rewarding. You’re occasionally under a lot of pressure to keep up, but the course also provides an astounding sense of satisfaction as you watch yourself grow into a fully-fledged pharmacist over the course duration. I feel already that UTS has given me the tools to have a long and prosperous career in pharmacy.

There is no doubt about the fact that I have changed throughout this degree. This is not only as a result of all the knowledge I have gained but also with respect to how I communicate and work with my peers and patients. The heavy focus on group learning, clinical placements and in class counselling all contributed greatly to this.

For the most, part the assessments are fair and are good representations of what have learnt. There is a good balance between written and oral assessments and here is also a considerable amount of group work to help sharpen teamwork skills.

My favourite lecturers and guest speakers have been those who have discussed the future of pharmacy and potential career paths available to us upon graduation.

The UTS GSH is a really supportive environment.  There have definitely been a few trying times over the degree, and when they have occurred I’ve always known that I had the support of my tutors.  They always have our best interests in mind. Never have I felt that I could not approach them about any problems I encountered, and that made a big difference in an intensive degree such as this one.

This degree has allowed me to connect with many already-established pharmacists from a wide array of specialties. I have had the chance to go on rural placement where I got to see another beautiful part of this country and learn so much from some special mentors. This year I have taken the opportunity to complete a research elective which can give me a path to completing a PhD, and I have also entered the Pharmacy Guild’s National business plan competition where I have the chance to develop a pharmacy service. This degree certainly isn’t short of opportunities for students to gain valuable experiences.

My goal is nothing short of starting my own brand of community pharmacy. I am very passionate about this, as I want to be a part of the positive change that community pharmacy needs. This isn’t a small goal but I like to set the bar high and hopefully with the right mentors and attitude I will succeed.

My advice for future students: take on any opportunity this degree presents you. Remove yourself from your comfort zone, don’t be pessimistic and try reaching goals you thought you couldn’t. Because when all is done at the end of this degree you don’t want to look back and regret not taking the chances given to you.

This degree has been one of the most challenging but rewarding things I have ever taken on in my life to date. I have met a lot of fantastic people and made a lot of great friends, and I in no way regret my decision to do my Master of Pharmacy at UTS!