Types of Pharmacy

Community Pharmacy

Also known as a retail pharmacy, the community pharmacy is the most well known type of pharmacy.
It is this type that is most traditionally known as the pharmacist or chemist shop. A community
pharmacist usually works in a store that provides the community with access to the medications they
need, as well as advice to promote the safe and effective use of the medicines they provide. They can
tell their customers what drugs may interact with each other or with alcohol, and help prevent
dangerous or troublesome combinations or side-effects of medication. Helping patients with the
reimbursement of drug expenses, supervising pharmacy technicians and keeping inventory of the
drugs stocked also make up part of their duties.

Hospital Pharmacy

A hospital pharmacy is the place where the management of medications occurs in a hospital, medical
clinic or nursing home. A hospital pharmacist often works in close collaboration with other health
professionals to ensure that the medication regimen for each patient is optimized to achieve the best
outcomes. They may also be involved with clinical trials, as well as compounding medications for
individualized dosing or sterile medications. Teaching, administrative functions in the selection,
proper storage, distribution and prescription protocols of drugs, education of medical staff in the
aspects of selection, administration and monitoring of drug safety, as well as assessing drug levels
and drug safety may all be part of their work. Hospital pharmacists may be inpatient or outpatient
pharmacists, and may also specialize in one or other area of pharmacotherapy.

Clinical Pharmacy

The clinical pharmacy exists in a number of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes and other
medical centers. The aim of clinical pharmacy is to ensure the optimal use of medications for the best
outcomes through the provision of drug information and monitoring for drug safety and efficacy.
They can predict drug interactions and so prevent many adverse reactions to medication.

Industrial Pharmacy

The industrial pharmacy involves the pharmaceutical industry and includes the research, production,
packaging, quality control, marketing and sales of pharmaceutical goods. An industrial pharmacist
may work as a representative for a particular pharmaceutical company to advocate for the use of its
products, as well as to inform practitioners about their actions and benefits.

Institutional pharmacy" means a pharmacy or other storage place as defined by regulations adopted
by the Board which is a part of or operated in conjunction with a medical facility. A pharmacy on the
premises of the medical facility which provides a system of distributing and supplying medication to
the facility, whether or not operated by the facility; and a pharmacy off the premises of the medical
facility which provides services only to the patients of the facility and provides a system of
distributing medication based upon chart orders from the medical facility.
Social and Adminitrative Pharmacy

Theory-based research leading to new knowledge and understanding of drug use, patient and
provider communication and behaviors, health outcomes, pharmacy practice, patient care systems,
and the pharmacy profession. This is accomplished by integrating knowledge of pharmacy and
pharmaceuticals with theories and concepts from disciplines such as economics, sociology,
psychology, management sciences, education, epidemiology, history and law.

Ambulatory Pharmacy

Ambulatory care pharmacy practice is the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by
pharmacists who are accountable for addressing medication needs, developing sustained
partnerships with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community.

Public Health Pharmacy

The role of public health coincides with the work of a pharmacist by providing education on policy,
patient education, and population management. Public health pharmacists are involved in advanced
pharmacy practice, health policy development, emergency and humanitarian response, global health,
and many other areas.

Regulatory Pharmacy

Also known as government pharmacy, regulatory pharmacy is responsible for creating rules and
regulations for the safe use of medicine to promote positive health outcomes. This includes
pharmacists working in public health and regulatory health boards, such as the Food and Drug
Administration in the United States.

Home Care Pharmacy

Home care pharmacy primarily involves the preparation and delivery of injectables to critically ill
patients in the home environment. This is also sometimes referred to as infusion pharmacy, as only
injectable medications are dispensed, and not medication administered in other forms, such as oral
or topical. They may major in one or the other area of illness, such as infusions for nutritional
support, chemotherapy, mental illness or oncology.

Managed care pharmacy

Managed care pharmacy involves the planning and management of medication in health
maintenance organizations, such as hospitals, nursing homes and extended healthcare centers.

Research pharmacy

Research pharmacists work on developing new drugs and profiling their actions, effectiveness, side-
effects and interactions.

Specializations in Pharmacy
Some pharmacists may specialize in a certain area of drug therapy with a master’s degree or other
continued learning. This helps them to gain proficiency and recognition to practice in specialized
fields. This may include areas such as:

Oncology pharmacy

Nuclear pharmacy

Geriatric pharmacy

Psychopharmacotherapy

Personal pharmacy

Nutritional support pharmacy

Hospice pharmacy

Pediatric pharmacy

Pharmacy benefit manager

Poison control pharmacy

Each of these specializations is a type of pharmacy in its own right, although such pharmacists usually
practice in a hospital pharmacy. Their unique knowledge base makes it possible for them to provide
medical information in particular relevant situations.

Academic Pharmacy

Academic Pharmacists are full-time faculty members of an educational institute. They are involved in
teaching and training of the future generations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. Besides
teaching, academic pharmacists in a university also engage in research. Their research activities may
include areas in new drugs discovery, manufacturing technology and formulation of drug products,
improvement in pharmacy practice as well as enhancing therapeutic and health outcomes in
patients. In addition, they are also involved in consultancy work, service to the university or
international health-related organisations, public service and patient care.

Pharmacy practitioners working in the hospital, community pharmacy, regulatory agency or the
pharmaceutical industry may be involved in academic work on a part-time basis. These adjunct
academic pharmacists are primarily involved in giving lectures on special topics, providing
professional training, mentoring interns or pharmacy students in the hospital or community
pharmacies.

Research and Development Pharmacy

Can be defined as any project to resolve scientific or technological uncertainty aimed at achieving an
advance in science or technology. Those who are working in R&D-Pharmacy are termed as scientists
with greater responsibilities and sharp knowledge.

It is creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge
including search of new molecule, synthesis and modification of known molecules or some methods
to increase production rate by adopting different techniques.