What will I do in this job?
If you plan to be a Pharmacist, you will dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health care practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. Pharmacists advise health care practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists must understand the use, composition, and clinical effects of drugs. Compounding is only a small part of a Pharmacist’s practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage form.
Retail Pharmacists:
- counsel patients and answer questions about prescription drugs, such as possible adverse reactions or interactions
- provide information about over-the-counter drugs, durable medical equipment, and home health care supplies
- provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure
Hospital or Clinical Pharmacists:
- dispense medications
- advise the medical staff on the selection and effect of drugs
- assess, plan, and monitor drug regimes
- counsel patients on the use of drugs while in the hospital and on their use at home when they are discharged
- evaluate drug use patterns and outcomes for patients in hospitals
Pharmacists maintain confidential computerized records of patients’ drug therapies to ensure that harmful drug interactions do not occur. Some Pharmacists specialize in specific drug therapy areas, such as psychiatric disorders, intravenous nutrition support, oncology, nuclear pharmacy, and pharmacotherapy.
If you choose to be a pharmacist, you should:
- have scientific aptitude and good communication skills
- desire to help others
- be conscientious and pay close attention to detail, because the decisions they make affect lives
Will I need a special license?
If you want to be a pharmacist a State License is needed.
What type of education will I need?
The Pharm.D. is a 4-year program that requires at least 2 years of college study prior to admittance, although most applicants have 3 years prior to entering the program. Entry requirements usually include courses in mathematics and natural sciences, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences. Approximately half of all colleges require the applicant to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT).
Will I find a job?
Very good employment opportunities are expected for pharmacists through 2002-2012 because the number of degrees granted in pharmacy is expected to be less than the number of job openings created by employment growth and the need to replace pharmacists who retire or otherwise leave the occupation. Recently, enrollments in pharmacy programs are rising as more students are attracted by high salaries and good job prospects. Despite this increase in enrollments, pharmacist jobs should still be more numerous than those seeking employment.
How much will I make?
Median Salary: $77,050 (Ranges from $54,000- $94,500)
(2003-2004)
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