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What is the K.N.P.S.V.?

The General Dutch Pharmaceutical Students Association (A.N.P.S.V.) was founded on the 22th of May in 1903. In 2003, during the celebration of the 100st anniversary ofthe association the A.N.P.S.V. became Royal. From then on the name of the association has been changed to Royal Dutch Pharmaceutical Students Association (K.N.P.S.V.). The K.N.P.S.V. is the national pharmaceutical organisation which represents about 2300 pharmacy students from the Netherlands. In the Netherlands there are three local pharmacy associations. The oldest study association is ‘Pharmaciae Sacrum' (P.S.) from Groningen. The next one is the study association of biopharmacy from Leiden, ‘Aesculapius' and last but not least the study association of pharmacy from Utrecht, ‘Unitas Pharmaceuticorum ' (U.P.). Every student who becomes member of one of these student associations automatically becomes a member of the K.N.P.S.V.

 

K.N.P.S.V. executive

Because the K.N.P.S.V. is a national association with members in three cities, the executive board is from a different city each year. This year the executive board is formed by five pharmacy students from Utrecht. Next year the executive will be from Groningen. You can see the names of the members and a picture of the executive here.

 

What does the K.N.P.S.V. do for Dutch (bio-)pharmacy students?

Social
An important objective of the K.N.P.S.V. is looking after the interests of all Dutch (bio-)pharmacy students. To reach this objective many activities are organised in which all members can participate. Some activities which return annually are the Sports day at the beginning of the summer, the traditional Spring day (with trainings and a traditional dinner) and the K.N.P.S.V.-congress. For all the active committee-members we organize a special get together and a weekend. For master students we organize a day of gulf together with young pharmacists. Five times a year each K.N.P.S.V. members receive a magazine with all the ins-and-outs of the association, the ‘Folia Pharmaceutica'. The magazine contains a scientific part as well.

Educational
On the educational level the K.N.P.S.V. organizes several activities. Every year we are running a Patient Counselling Event. We have two pre selection rounds with workshops and a competition with professional actors. The winner of the national finals will go to the IPSF congress for free. Every year we organize scientific lectures as well. Furthermore the Spring day and the K.N.P.S.V. congress contain a scientific part.

Professional
The executive of the K.N.P.S.V. keeps in touch with most of the national professional pharmacy associations like the KNMP (pharmacists), the NVZA (hospital pharmacists), NIA (industry pharmacists), VJA (young pharmacists) and VAZA (hospital pharmacist in education). In collaboration with this associations we organize one-day intern ships at a community or hospital pharmacy as well as in industry. Once in every two year we organize a profession-day in which the students get to know all the different possibilities in the world of pharmacy. During the year we have some information evenings about specific professions.

International
The K.N.P.S.V. is a member of EPSA (European Pharmaceutical Students' Association) and IPSF (International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation). So the Dutch pharmacy students can participate in the Student Exchange Programme (an initiative ofIPSF) and get in touch with foreign pharmacy students at the international congresses of EPSA and IPSF. We are organizing TWINs as well. Last year we did a TWIN with Switzerland. Every year we organize international evenings in each city for the students to get to know something about the international activities and associations.

 

What does the K.N.P.S.V. do with and for international students?

The K.N.P.S.V. is an active member of EPSA and IPSF. The LS of EPSA and the CP and SEO of IPSF are members of the executive board of the K.N.P.S.V. In 2007 a Dutch reception committee was organized the 30st Annual Congress of EPSA in The Hague. For photos of the EPSA congress click here. The LS of the Netherlands as well as several other active Dutch students attended the Annual Congress and the Autumn Assembly of EPSA, and the IPSF congress. Last year one Dutch students was part of the audit committee of EPSA and lots of students are active in the Departments. We organize TWINs as well. Last month we organized a TWIN with Switzerland. If you are interested in a TWIN with The Netherlands, just let us know!

Every year the commissioner of foreign affairs (CP/SEO) and his/her successor will attend the IPSF congress. Often they are joined by several other interested Dutch students. In Slovenia we will represented the Netherlands with 18 students, past year we attended the congress in Bali with 21 students.

The commissioner of foreign affairs is the CP and SEO for IPSF in the Netherlands. He coordinates the Student Exchange Programme (SEP) of IPSF in The Netherlands. If you would like to take part in the SEP in The Netherlands you have to contact your SEO on time because we only have few places. Most of them are in community, some in hospital. If you would like to read more about the SEP in The Netherlands you can click here.

The commissioner of general affairs is the LS for EPSA in the Netherlands. Every year he/ she will be together with his/ her successor the official delegates of the Netherlands in the GA during the Annual Congress of EPSA. Together with the commissioner of foreign affairs the commissioner of general affair, is also the official delegate in the GA during the Autumn Assembly.
Often they are joined by several other interested Dutch students. In Krakow we represented the Netherlands with 10 students, last year we attended the congress in Reims with 15 students.

 

Pharmacy education in The Netherlands

Pharmacy education in general

To become a pharmacist students can chose to study in Groningen or in Utrecht. In Leiden students have the opportunity to study biopharmaceutical sciences, in which the students will be educated to be a scientific researcher. Students graduated in biofarmaceutical sciences (BPS) won't be able to become pharmacists.

Lectures are mostly in Dutch, books are in English. Students are taught to write essays in Dutch and in English.

Each year Dutch students have got to pay 1620,- euro to be signed in at the university. The government provides a student rent, which is very useful for all students in The Netherlands.

Each pharmacy faculty has its own local study association: in Groningen ‘Pharmaciae Sacrum', in Leiden ,,Aesculapius" and in Utrecht ‘Unitas Pharmaceuticorum. De K.N.P.S.V. is the national association, which covers all three local associations. Students who sign in at one of the local association will become K.N.P.S.V. members automatically.

 

Faculty information

Groningen

In the north of the Netherlands the University of Groningen contains over 46.000 students, of which are 600 pharmacy students. Every year the number of students is increasing. In Groningen students are taught to be able to have good theoretical and practical knowledge. Students have to attend a lot of lab work.

After two years students have to choose whether they want to continue their study with the focus on pharmacy or on pharmaceutical sciences. This will be continued in the master programme.

The master ‘pharmacy' takes 3 years and enables the student to become a pharmacist. In the first year of the master, the students are doing a research project at the university.

The master ‘pharmaceutical sciences' takes 2 years and enables the student to be employed in the industry or research.

Leiden

The university of Leiden is the oldest of our country. 18.000 people study here, of which 200 students bio-pharmaceutical sciences. With much practical work over 5 years, the students are educated to become employed in the field of pharmaceutical research. After two years students have to decide whether they want to finish their study in bio-pharmaceutical sciences or chemistry. After the bachelor there are 8 master possibilities.

Utrecht

Utrecht is the city with the most students in The Netherlands. 64.000 students are registered, of which 1000 study pharmacy. Since a few years students apply via a numerus fixus, which is set on 225 students.

The pharmacy education in Utrecht is unique, because students get educated with the problem oriented learning system, which is an international system and is used in different universities over the world.

After the first two years students have to choose whether they want to continue their education pharmaceutically or in other way, in which the master ‘drug innovation' will be their further education.

Students in the master pharmacy will have to do community as well as hospital pharmacy intern ships. Besides the pharmacist's work, they have to do a research project of at least 6 months. This can be at the university, in The Netherlands or abroad.

 

More information about the educations in each city:

 

Say in the matter of the education

The democratic system in our country is continued in the education. In every city students can participate in parties which discuss educational/technical issues. Together with professors and other people involved students hope to improve the circumstances of their education.

 

Carreer possibilities

Within 3 months after graduation, 98% of the graduates are already employed.

Some possibilities are:

  • Post doc at a faculty
  • Community pharmacy: 70% of all students from Groningen and Utrecht
  • Hospital pharmacy: besides the all day hospital practice, a four-year project for PhD is possible
  • Pharmaceutical industry: R&D, preparation & production, quality control

 

Student Exchange Programme

The K.N.P.S.V. takes part in the Student Exchange Programme. Students from abroad can apply for community and hospital places all over The Netherlands. They are hosted by the pharmacist. During summer we organise activities, to get to know the students better and to show them around in our cities.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our commissioner of foreign affairs, Marrit Aaten, commissarisbuitenland@knpsv.nl .

 

Contact
For questions about the K.N.P.S.V. or the Student Exchange Programme mail to: