APPEL matching process

If I am unable to participate in the APPEL matching system can I choose, from the outset, to be assigned a student as it happens in the 2nd year matching process?

If you are unable to participate in the matching process and wish to be assigned to a student, please let the APPEL office know at the earliest possible opportunity.

After the matching process ends, if there are still available students whose preferences match your placement, we may contact you about assigning a student to you.

If I am successfully matched with a student and subsequently discover I am no longer in a position to provide this placement (e.g. due to changes in staff, etc.) what should I do?

You must notify APPEL of this change in circumstances immediately so that alternative arrangements can be made for the student.

Once a student accepts my offer of a placement can I be sure that this student will present at my Training Establishment when the placement starts or might they end up going to another Training Establishment without my knowledge?

When a student accepts an offer of placement, that student cannot receive another placement offer through the APPEL matching system. Since Training Establishments can only be matched to students within the APPEL system you can be certain the student cannot receive or accept another offer once they have accepted your placement.

If, due to unforeseen circumstances, the student cannot proceed with the placement on term (e.g. failure of exams or personal circumstances) you will be notified as soon as is practicable by the APPEL team.

The matching process has ended and I have not been matched with a student. Why should I engage with APPEL again?

As there are more placements than students available for each matching process, not all placement providers will be matched to students. However, APPEL provides placements to 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th-year students throughout the year and would be delighted if providers would continue to make their placements available for subsequent placement processes. The geographical spread of students varies considerably from year to year and so locations with low demand in one year can have considerable interest the following year.

What happens if my placement is not matched to a student at the end of phase 2?

If there are students who have not yet been matched in your area, APPEL may contact you about assigning them to your Training Establishment, with your consent.

However, it is also possible that there were no students suitable for your placement, due to students’ geographical locations, during this matching process.

With three placements running every year, it will not be long until the matching process for our next round of placements so please do continue to engage with the matching system!

I am aware of an excellent student who is interested in a placement in our Training Establishment. I received my list of students today, but this student is not on the list. Can I offer the placement outside of the system?

Training Establishments can only be matched to students within the APPEL system. Therefore your placement cannot be offered to this student. However, you may wish to engage with this student outside of the APPEL programme, e.g. offering a summer internship to this student.

I am offering two placements in our organisation, one in our quality department and one in our regulatory affairs department. My two highest ranked students are both listed against the quality department. Can I offer my two placements to these two students? or I am offering two placements in two community pharmacies, both within 3 miles of each other. My two highest ranked students are both listed against one of the pharmacies. Can I offer my two placements to these two students?

Unfortunately, this is not possible. Each placement is considered in isolation within the APPEL system. Placements are allocated based on students’ expressed preferences and the competition for those preferences.

If you are offering two placements within one department/community pharmacy, you can move students between placements as outlined in the Placement Provider guide to the matching process.

If I send an offer to a student and they accept, can I rescind my offer if I change my mind before the deadline for offers expires?

No. Once a student accepts a placement you have offered, you will not be able to rescind that offer or offer that placement to any other student.

Having reviewed my allocated CVs and cover letters I am not sure that any of the students will be a good fit for a placement in our organisation. What do I do now?

For many students seeking a 4^th-year placement, writing CVs and cover letters is a new and possibly daunting experience. It may be worth considering contacting one or more of the students and speaking with them before deciding if they will be a good fit for a placement in your organisation.

How many CVs and cover letters will I get to review for each placement?

You will be provided with a maximum of fifteen CVs for each placement you are offering. As placements are allocated based on students’ expressed preferences, it is possible that you may be allocated fewer CVs or no CVs at all. If you are offering more than one placement, you may find that several CVs are allocated to one placement and less to another.