Definition and Nature of the Work

Pharmacists are health practitioners who specialize in dispensing

drugs prescribed by physicians and providing information to patients
about their side effects and use. Pharmacists must understand the
composition of medicines, as well as the laws that regulate their
manufacture and sale. They order and store medicines, keeping them
safe, pure, and effective. They are required by law to maintain records
of the drugs they handle.

Most pharmacists work in community pharmacies. Some of these

retail stores, which are owned either by the pharmacists themselves
or by drugstore chains, sell only medical and sickroom supplies;
others carry a wide range of items, from health supplies to laundry
detergent and stationery. Some pharmacists concentrate on the
dispensing of drugs, while others manage entire stores, creating
combined pharmacy and business careers.

Some pharmacists work in hospital or nursing home pharmacies.

They buy, inspect, store, and distribute drugs. They often keep drug
information libraries and advise the medical and nursing staffs about
new drugs.

Other pharmacists work in the pharmaceutical industry, which

includes companies that research, manufacture, or sell medicines.
Pharmacists are also employedPharmacists work in pharmacies, hospitals, or
nursing homes, dispensing drugs that require a doctor's prescription. (© Martha
Tabor/Working Images Photographs. Reproduced by permission.)by government
agencies and as teachers in colleges and universities. A small number
work in specialized areas, such as writing or editing books, articles, or
advertisements about drugs.
Education and Training Requirements
Pharmacists must have at least six years of education beyond high
school. After two or three years of college, students enter four-year
programs that result in pharmacy degrees. Entry requirements
usually include courses in mathematics, natural sciences, humanities,
and social sciences. About two-thirds of all colleges of pharmacy
require applicants to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test.
Students may go on to earn master's degrees or doctorates in
specialty areas of pharmacy.

All states expect pharmacists to be licensed. Requirements include

degrees from colleges of pharmacy accredited by the Accreditation
Council for Pharmacy Education and examinations.

Getting the Job

Most pharmacists begin their careers as employees in community or
hospital pharmacies. Placement services of colleges of pharmacy
usually have information about job openings. Graduates can also
apply directly to pharmacies or to firms that make medicines.
Professional associations can help graduates get jobs or open
pharmacies of their own.

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Advancement Possibilities and Employment
Outlook
Advancement depends on many factors, including location, type of
work, business skill, and ambition. About sixty percent of all
pharmacists work in community pharmacies. Some open their own
pharmacies. Those who work for chain-owned drugstores can become
managers, while those employed by hospitals can become directors of
pharmacy services. Pharmacists working for drug manufacturers can
move into executive positions. Some pharmacists become
administrators in government agencies, teachers, or researchers.

The employment of pharmacists is expected to grow faster than the

average for all occupations through 2014. The demand for
pharmacists—because of general employment growth or because of
retirements—should exceed the number of new graduates.

Working Conditions
Pharmacists work in clean, pleasant surroundings. Most salaried
employees work about forty hours per week, while self-employed
pharmacists work about fifty hours per week. They often work
evening and weekend hours. Some pharmacists work part time.

Pharmacists are usually on their feet for long hours. They should be
in good health and be able to communicate with other professionals
as well as with the public. They must be responsible people who can
do careful, detailed, and confidential work. Management skills are
also an asset.

Earnings and Benefits

Earnings vary depending on experience, skill, and place of
employment. In 2004 the median annual salary of pharmacists was
$84,900 per year. Owners of pharmacies, managers of chain
drugstores, and high-level administrators often earned much more.

Where to Go for More Information

American Pharmacists Association
2215 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20037-2985
(800) 237-2742
http://www.aphanet.org

National Association of Chain Drug Stores

413 N. Lee St.
PO Box 1417-D49
Alexandria, VA 22313-1480
(703) 549-3001
http://www.nacds.org

Self-employed pharmacists must provide their own benefits. Benefits

for salaried pharmacists generally include paid holidays and
vacations, health insurance, and retirement plans.

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WHAT IS THIS JOB LIKE? Back to Top

Pharmacists give medicine to people when a doctor says that they need it. They
tell people how to use the medicine correctly.

Pharmacists are experts in medicine and its side effects. They sometimes help
doctors choose which medicines to give patients. Pharmacists also warn doctors if
the doctors have asked their patients to take any medicine that might hurt their
patients.

Sometimes, pharmacists mix the medicine themselves. Most often, though, they
use medicines that are already made.

Pharmacists mostly work in drug stores. These stores are clean and have a lot of
light. Many pharmacists must stand while they work. Pharmacists must wear
gloves and masks when they work with dangerous chemicals. Some pharmacists
work at night or on weekends because sick people may need medicine at any
time. Most pharmacists work about 40 hours a week, but some work longer
hours.

HOW DO YOU GET READY? Back to Top

Pharmacists must have a license from the State in which they work. After high
school, it usually takes at least 6 years of study, including college and pharmacy
school, to become a pharmacist. The person must also pass a certification test.
People who want to be pharmacists should be good at science and math. They
should be good at dealing with people. They should also be able to work carefully,
because they often deal with strong medicine.
HOW MUCH DOES THIS JOB PAY? Back to Top

In May 2008, pharmacists had average yearly wages of $104,260.

HOW MANY JOBS ARE THERE? Back to Top

There were about 269,900 pharmacists in 2008. Some of them worked in

hospitals. Others worked in grocery stores and retail stores with pharmacies.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? Back to Top

Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow faster than the average for all
occupations through the year 2018. There will be more elderly people in the
future, and they will probably need medicines to deal with the problems of getting
older.

Very good employment opportunities are expected for pharmacists. It is usually

easy for pharmacy graduates to find jobs.

Top Ten Reasons to Become a Pharmacist

Top Ten Reasons to Become a Pharmacist
Provided by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

1. I Want to Help People Get Well

Pharmacists play a key role in helping patients feel better and get well as quickly as
possible. Pharmacists can be instrumental in improving the health of patients by choosing
the best medicines and helping to avoid side effects. There are often multiple medications
available on the market to treat a single disease or ailment. Pharmacists work with
prescribers to determine the best drug- and non-drug therapy for a patient’s particular
illness, age, gender, health, etc. Pharmacists screen patients for drug allergies and
adverse drug effects.

2. I Like to Work Directly with Patients

Since pharmacies are often located within a residential community and in common
shopping places like grocery stores, pharmacists are generally considered the most
accessible member of the healthcare team. Patients can often visit their local pharmacist
to seek advice about the medications they are taking without making an appointment.
Pharmacists may also provide other services such as immunizations, asthma care, blood
pressure monitoring services, cholesterol screening, diabetes disease management,
smoking cessation consultation, bone density scans for osteoporosis screening,
anticoagulation management clinics and more.

3. I Enjoy a Wide Variety of Career Opportunities

Pharmacists can work in a myriad a professional settings. The majority of pharmacists (60
percent) work in an independent or retail chain community pharmacy and provide
counseling to patients on the use of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC)
medications. Pharmacists work in numerous other healthcare environments as well,
including hospitals, nursing homes, managed care organizations, the pharmaceutical
industry, colleges and schools and the federal government. Pharmacists play key
leadership roles in all aspects of the healthcare system.

4. I Can Benefit from the Increased Demand For Pharmacists

There is an ongoing demand for pharmacy services throughout the U.S. in most sectors of
the profession. The demand is fueled by the following factors:

• Increased demand for patient services. The transition to the doctor of pharmacy
(Pharm.D.) degree for all new pharmacy graduates has increased the type of
services pharmacists are able to offer. Pharmacists are able to work in a wider
array of practice settings and positions than ever before.

• Increase in number of prescriptions filled each year. According to the National

Association of Chain Drug Stores, the number of prescriptions filled increased from
1.9 million in 1992 to more than 3.1 million in 2002 (~60 percent increase over 10
years). Our society will continue to need more pharmacists to fill the growing
number of prescriptions as more medicines become available and the population
ages.

• Increase in the number of medicines available on the market. There is a greater

selection of prescription and OTC drugs manufactured today than in the past.
Multiple medications are often available to treat a single disease. Pharmacists help
prescribers and patients decide which medicine will have the most beneficial
results.
• Increase in the elderly population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 5
Americans will be classified as elderly by 2030. Older patients generally have more
chronic illness and more complicated drug regimens than younger individuals.
Pharmacists play a key role in helping the elderly patients navigate complicated
medication requirements and explore ways to minimize their financial burden. The
aging population has also increased the need for long-term care, geriatric and
consultant pharmacists.

5. I Want to be an Important Member of the Healthcare Team

Pharmacists work with other health care professionals to maximize health outcomes.
Numerous studies have proven that the presence of a pharmacist on hospital rounds as a
full member of the patient care team has been shown to prevent drug errors and reduce
costs. The collaboration of healthcare professionals, such as physicians and pharmacists,
can help to ensure that patients properly take their medications as prescribed and avoid
any harmful drug interactions.

6. I Can Have Job Mobility, Stability, and Flexibility

Pharmacists are employed in every part of the country. Pharmacy licensure is generally
reciprocal between U.S. states, however, additional tests or criteria may be required to
transfer licensure status. Pharmacists may be able to establish non-traditional or part-time
work hours, depending on the practice setting. With the shortage of pharmacists, student
pharmacists often receive multiple job offers prior to graduation.

7. I am Excited to be a Part of Major Innovations in Drug Therapy

One of the many exciting developments in the pharmacy profession is the growth of a
discipline, known as pharmacogenomics. Genetic variations in genes can affect a body’s
response to a drug. In the future, specialists in this area hope to sequence the entire
human gene in each individual. Pharmacists and other healthcare providers will be able to
use that information to select the best medicines, treat diseases earlier than now possible,
or prevent them entirely with individually-tailored drug therapies.

8. I Want to Work with State-of-the-Art Technology

Digital innovations in pharmacy include electronic prescriptions, robotics for central

prescription processing and use of computers in practice as well as pharmaceutical
research. These technological advances enhance efficiency and help to promote patient
safety. Pharmacists use these same tools to help prioritize work, fill prescriptions with
greater accuracy and spend more time with patients. By law, pharmacists must oversee an
automated dispensing process for quality control purposes.

9. I Can Help Defend Against Bioterrorism

Pharmacists are educated to recognize signs and symptoms of diseases that may be used
in a biological attack. The accessibility of pharmacies could be one of the keys to a
successful mass immunization or drug distribution program in an emergency. In an
epidemic or bioterror situation, pharmacists are prepared to play a major role in
preventing the spread of disease and overseeing the distribution of appropriate and safe
medications.

10. I Would Like to Be a Highly Respected Member of My Community

According to a November 2003 Gallup Poll, pharmacists’ honesty and ethics were rated as
"high" or "very high" by 67 percent of Americans, and surpassed in ranking only by nurses.
Pharmacists are visible leaders in our community who are entrusted with the health of our
families.