This adds weight to the prime position of science within the MPharm curriculum and the view that a scientific foundation is vital for the future pharmacist. This research highlights the importance of the profession engaging more fully with different theoretical perspectives of knowledge within a vocational scientific programme of study. 1. Gibbons M. The New Production of Knowledge: The Dynamics of Science and Research in Contemporary

Societies. Sage, 1994. J. Sidhua, H. Zamanb, S. Whitea aKeele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK, bUniversity of Bradford, Bradford, CP-868596 purchase UK This focus group study explored UK fourth year pharmacy students’ perceptions on interacting with people with mental health problems, focusing on changes in their perceptions since they were first year students, and compared these with

current first year students’ perceptions. Students talked about attempting to ‘treat them normally’ but that they ‘couldn’t help’ treating people differently. Fourth year students seemed to have greater professional discomfort about this. This suggests that students’ attitudes may change as they progress through the course, even if only to heighten their sense of professional discomfort about knowingly treating people differently. Previous research suggests that pharmacy workplace contact and the APO866 mental health content of undergraduate pharmacy education may not improve students’ negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems.1 However, studies have not explored students’ perspectives in depth on interactions with people with mental health problems and how these may change as they progress through the undergraduate course. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of fourth (final) year students in a UK school of pharmacy on these issues. The perceptions of a sample of first year students C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR-7) on interacting with people

with mental health problems were also explored and compared with the perceptions that the fourth year students reported as having when they were first years. Qualitative focus groups were used because this technique is suited to exploring the range and complexity in participants’ perspectives and for them to clarify their views, as well as for identifying cultural values or group norms. Following institutional ethical approval, an invitation was emailed to all fourth year students and first year students. The first author conducted three focus groups with 17 fourth year students and three focus groups with 15 first year students who volunteered. Groups ranged from four to six students. The sample included participants with different characteristics to represent a broad range of views. The interview guide was developed from objectives of the study and a review of the literature. Broad topics included perceptions of mental illness, key influences on these, and the effect of the MPharm course on these perceptions.