Intern Pharmacist

INTERN PHARMACIST, WHANGANUI HOSPTIAL

• Intern Pharmacist: Whanganui Hospital, Fixed Term, Full Time Role (Jan 2027 – Dec 2027)
• No better place to start your career

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

Are you looking to join a highly regarded forward thinking pharmacy department, where pharmacists provide a high standard of clinical pharmacy services for their patients?  If you are enthusiastic, hardworking and eager to develop your career as a clinical pharmacist then this could be the ideal job for you!

As a smaller hospital this position will offer lots of hands-on opportunities to get involved and learn.    You will be encouraged and supported across a variety of experiences, which will both challenge and extend your clinical experience and skills.  You will have the opportunity to work across all wards, working alongside clinical pharmacists and as part of the multi-disciplinary team. 

Whanganui Hospital has permanent ward-based pharmacy technicians gathering patient medication histories and helping with discharges. This allows pharmacists more time to focus on providing clinical services to improve patient outcomes, ensuring optimal medicines utilisation.  Pharmacy has a key role at discharge to ensure patients, caregivers and whānau are comfortable with the management of their medication and liaising with community pharmacies to help facilitate supply where necessary.

Education has a strong emphasis within the service including provision of information to patients, caregivers and whānau on safe and effective use of medicines as well as providing regular on-going training and education to prescribers, nursing and pharmacy colleagues.   You will also have the opportunity to be involved in quality improvement activities and projects.

You will be provided with a preceptor, who will work alongside you and provide you with one on one mentoring and on-going support.  You will also be trained by many pharmacy staff to ensure you gain a wide variety of experiences, expand your knowledge and skills and fulfil all the requirements to confidently become a qualified pharmacist. 

Our close relationships with the community mean opportunities for community pharmacy placements to help embed your dispensing, counselling and OTC skills.

PSNZ Intern Training Programme fees and APC will be paid for.

About the Team/Service/Location

The Whanganui Hospital pharmacy team is dedicated and highly regarded.  We are a forward-thinking team who are always looking for ways to improve the service and care the it delivers.   We collaborate closely with medical, nursing and allied health teams to ensure optimal medication utilisation and the highest medication management outcomes for our patients.  Patients are our focus and at the heart of every decision.

Whanganui is a historic riverside city celebrated for its rich Māori heritage, vibrant arts scene, and stunning natural landscapes centred around the iconic Whanganui River.  Whanganui offers an opportunity for great work life balance from mountains to the sea.  There is no better place to start your career. 

For more information on what Whanganui has to offer click here  and to find out more about Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora - Whanganui please click here

About you

We are looking for candidates who:

• Are patient centred
• Enthusiastic and motivated with a desire to provide a high-quality pharmacy service.
• Committed to learning and developing clinical knowledge and skills
• Have excellent communication skills, and a strong team focus
• Applicants must:
  • have a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree by the time the position starts (or equivalent) recognised in New Zealand
  • be eligible for registration with the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand under an Intern Pharmacist scope of practice.

https://pharmacycouncil.org.nz/i-want-to-practise-in-new-zealand/

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click “apply now.”  All applications must be submitted through our online careers' portal before 11:58pm on the 30^th April 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Megan Geertson at Megan.Geertson@wdhb.org.nz

As part of the application process, you will need to provide:

1. Your CV
2. A covering letter which should include the following:

• Why you wish to complete your internship at Whanganui Hospital
• The skills and attributes you have to offer us as an intern pharmacist

1. A copy of your academic transcript

Reminder: Ensure you also complete your Te Whatu Ora Hospital Pharmacy Internship preferencing as part of the application process. This will be distributed to your university email addresses in early April.

Each of these requirements must be complete for your application to be considered.

Hospital Pharmacy internship recruitment is conducted with nationally agreed timeframes as below:

• Shortlisting and Interviews = 1st May to 11th June (6-week period)

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.