There was a time when pharmacists measured, mixed and bottled pills and potions from the raised dispensary at the back of the store. For the person with the ailment, what went on up there was a bit of a mystery and the label on the medicine revealed little more than "take before meals".
The Second World War provided a boost for research and development in the pharmaceutical industry. Drugs of far higher complexity began to emerge. This generation of pharmaceuticals was mixed and packaged in factories - they were highly potent and capable of producing a complex set of side-effects. Doctors began dealing with the new problem of drug-related illness. Some drugs caused different reactions in different people, some drugs reacted with other drugs, some patients took the wrong dose.
A new role for the pharmacist was emerging. It had suddenly changed from that of a manufacturer and supplier to one of a provider of pharmaceutical information.
Today, another element has been added to the profession - communication skills. According to Dr Kay Stewart, senior lect-urer in Monash University's Department of Pharmacy Practice, pharmacy students are now educated in what is called Forward Pharmacy.
"Pharmacists are now being asked to be more people-oriented," said Dr Stewart. "The need to understand the science of pharmacy is still important, but pharmacists also now need to learn how to communicate their knowledge and to advise, treat or refer.
"In many cases, the patient sees the pharmacist more often than their doctor.
"Most people don't see themselves as going to the pharmacy for information, but pharmacists certainly see their jobs as advisers. Pharmacy students are now learning how best to carry out this supportive role."
Pharmacy training has moved with the times, and the Victorian College of Pharmacy has been at the forefront of innovation. The college began training Victorian pharmacists in the old County Court building in Swanston Street in 1881. But by the 1960s, the college had moved to its present site at Parkville, and the old system that combined college tuition with an in-store apprenticeship had been replaced by a full-time, three-year course in pharmacy.
In 1992, the college merged with Monash University, and in 1997 the Bachelor of Pharmacy became a four-year degree.
Monash lecturer Dr Kay Stewart and students in the "pharmacy".