“We refuse students who want to study pharmacy, that’s the height of it” | EUROtoday
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Lhe implementation of the PASS/LAS system (the precise well being entry route and the well being entry license) for entry into well being research in 2020 was broadly criticized by universities, educational our bodies (1) and the Court of Auditors (2). The latter’s report, on the finish of 2024, was significantly damning. The diversification of the coed inhabitants getting into well being research will not be there, together with the extent of information on the finish of a multifaceted first 12 months to proceed within the programs of drugs, odontology, midwifery or pharmacy (MMOP).
After ten years of Paces (first 12 months frequent to well being research, from 2010 to 2020), the complexity of the PASS/LAS system has additional elevated the lack of visibility of the completely different well being sectors – notably pharmacy research – and a lack of readability of the technique of entry… The first single, undifferentiated 12 months is completely unsatisfactory. The entry paths are meant to be a number of however are in truth labyrinthine and all the time dominated by the supremacy of drugs.ALSO READ Why your well being ought to value you just a little extra in 2026 Supremacy in variety of locations, but in addition hierarchy of professions within the collective unconscious of households, psychologists from National Education and authorities (together with ministerial ones) who nonetheless fortunately confuse “entry into health studies” and “entry into medical studies”… To summarize: when you find yourself nicely ranked, you go into drugs, that’s apparent!
A primary 12 months of undifferentiated entry into MMOP well being research is an phantasm! It is underpinned by two fallacious arguments: the likelihood for a scholar to postpone for one post-baccalaureate 12 months their selection of upper schooling or well being sector and the institution of interdisciplinarity/interprofessionality useful for the French well being system.
Why keep competitors between drugs and different well being sectors
The first argument could be heard for some highschool college students who’re nonetheless undecided on the course that can go well with them finest, however for an additional half who already is aware of the career they wish to pursue: for that one, why wait? Why keep competitors between drugs and different well being sectors because it exists within the present system? As for the second argument, it’s inappropriate at this very early stage of research, particularly since greater than half of PASS/LAS college students will finally not combine well being research!
For the pharmacy, the PASS/LAS system may have been a triple penalty. The promotions of pharmacy college students at present are partly made up of candidates rejected in drugs not eager to lose the advantage of their 12 months(s) of choice. Students eager to turn into pharmacists however much less nicely ranked discover themselves taking the locations by these dissatisfied in drugs! And, what’s extra, pharmacy schools are pressured to refuse college students who wish to research pharmacy however who can not enroll as a result of complexity and rigidity of the PASS/LAS system: a disgrace! While there are nonetheless vacancies…
Thus, after the quantitative lower within the variety of college students noticed during the last 4 years (a complete of two,000 locations remained vacant on the nationwide stage), we’re witnessing a scarcity of motivation and involvement of a big a part of the promotions, foreshadowing future professionals with much less urge for food for his or her career and due to this fact, finallymuch less proactive within the affected person’s care pathway. The pharmacy sector will not be the one one impacted: candidates for midwifery coaching (midwifery) are additionally in free fall. After medical deserts and at present pharmaceutical deserts, will we wish to encourage maternity deserts?
Abandon the dogma of a single, undifferentiated entry into well being research
An evolution of the 2020 well being research entry reform (EREES) is in preparation. It is crucial that it meets the expectations of the career, regardless of the mode of observe of the longer term pharmacist (pharmacy, hospital, business, medical biology, pharmaceutical analysis) and in settlement with the schools of pharmacy which prepare them. The latter are asking for the potential of experiencing a privileged entry into pharmacy research from Parcoursup, which might be complementary to a revised and improved first 12 months of entry into well being.
This particular entry to pharmacy research would have the benefit of “capturing” baccalaureate graduates already determined to embark on coaching in pharmacy professions with out competitors from different well being sectors. Students from this particular experimental path would then be part of these having chosen the pharmacy sector on the finish of the primary 12 months of well being which can exchange the PASS/LAS system for a single diploma testifying to abilities in pharmacy and well being merchandise.
It is time to desert the dogma of a single, undifferentiated entry into well being research to lastly assist the success of all well being college students. The stakes are excessive: we should, for the following fifty years, keep the availability of our well being system with adequate numbers of well being professionals.
The deficit of pharmacy college students that schools have skilled in recent times and the scarcity of practising pharmacists which creates these pharmaceutical deserts benefit testing this entry route into pharmacy research. It is about sustaining the territoriality of the career, the rising place of the pharmacist within the care pathway, the service supplied to sufferers and the upkeep of the precise contributions and abilities of pharmacy graduates within the well being industries.
1. Press launch from the Conference of Deans of Pharmacy Faculties of October 8, 2024 and press releases from the National Academy of Pharmacy of July 15, 2025
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2. Court of Auditors, “Access to health studies. Four years after the reform, an essential simplification.” Report dated December 11, 2024.
* Jean-Louis Beaudeux is dean of the Paris Faculty of Pharmacy, Paris-Cité University, honorary president of the National Academy of Pharmacy.
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