Western Health

Hospital website →

Western Health is the largest healthcare provider to one of the fastest growing and most diverse regions in Australia. We care for more than one million people with complex care needs ranging from neonates to geriatrics.

We provide services from four acute public hospitals: Footscray Hospital, Sunshine Hospital (including Joan Kirner Women's and Children's), Williamstown Hospital and Bacchus Marsh & Melton Hospital. We also operate Sunbury Day Hospital, Hazeldean, Grant Lodge Residential Aged Care, as well as community health centres in Melton, Caroline Springs and Bacchus Marsh and a range of community-based services.

Western Health is fast becoming known as a vibrant, progressive organisation with a focus on achieving excellence in education, research and providing an extensive range of clinical services.

We encourage innovations in patient care, staff professional development and research activities. Our clinicians, nurses and allied health professionals are involved in a diverse range of activities that have received recognition at local, national and international levels. Western Health has links with The University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and Victoria University of Technology.

Intern program information

About the hospital’s pharmacy intern program information - CLICK HERE

Seven intern positions are available in 2025 (five government-funded, plus two hospital-funded).

Pharmacy interns at Western Health start in the first week of January and are required to have provisional AHPRA registration. The seven interns work between the Footscray and Sunshine campuses gaining exposure to different environments and staff. Our intern program offers a variety of rotations that include:

Operational

  • Manufacturing ​
  • Dispensary

Clinical

  • Emergency​
  • Surgical ​
  • Respiratory​
  • Aged Care
  • Maternity & Paediatrics ​
  • Cardiology​
  • Respiratory​
  • General Medicine​
  • Mental Health​
  • Neurology​

Quality

  • Quality Use of Medicines ​
  • Medicines Information​

Other activities

  • Antimicrobial Stewardship Ward Rounds​
  • Acute Pain Management Service Rounds​
  • Hospital Outreach Medication Reviews​
  • Quality Improvement Projects

Interns are also included on our weekend roster (one shift every seven weeks) which contribute to the total number of supervised practice hours. Interns are expected to develop their skillset so that by the end of their program, they meet the national entry level pharmacist competencies.

As the year progresses, interns will be given a larger patient load to manage while still under pharmacist supervision. Throughout the program, interns are provided supervision by experienced pharmacists during each rotation while developing appropriate levels of competencies and responsibilities as outlined in our in-house competency framework.

We provide weekly tutorials that cover a range of clinical, legislative and over-the-counter topics. These are designed not only to prepare the interns for their exams, but prepares them to become competent pharmacists. Several practice exams are conducted under exam conditions.

Our pharmacy interns are allocated a mentor each for additional support. Interns are expected to be enthusiastic, hardworking and willing to engage with the Western Health Intern Program and Western Health core values.

We support the Monash Intern Training Program and Monash Intern Foundation Program. Western Health is an accredited site for the SHPA Foundation Resident Training Program.

Contacts

Ms Grace Easaw (Education Pharmacist)

Email: grace.easaw@wh.org.au

T: 0466 377 535/ 8345 7349

Intern positions in 2025

7 total (5 DHHS funded, 2 hospital funded)

Other resources

Online information session - held in the first week of July 2024.