Is Pharmacy right for you?
Pharmacists distribute prescription drugs to individuals. They also advise their patients, as well as physicians and other health practitioners, on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists monitor the health and progress of patients to ensure the safe and effective use of medication. Compounding—the actual mixing of ingredients to form medications—is a small part of a pharmacist’s practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. Most pharmacists work in a community setting, such as a retail drugstore, or in a health care facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, mental health institution, or neighborhood health clinic.
Pharmacists in community pharmacies dispense medications, counsel patients on the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and advise physicians about patients’ medication therapy. They also advise patients about general health topics such as diet, exercise, and stress management, and provide information on products such as durable medical equipment or home health care supplies. In addition, they may complete third-party insurance forms and other paperwork. Those who own or manage community pharmacies may sell non-health-related merchandise, hire and supervise personnel, and oversee the general operation of the pharmacy. Some community pharmacists provide specialized services to help patients with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure; others also are trained to administer vaccinations.
Pharmacists in health care facilities dispense medications and advise the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs. They may make sterile solutions to be administered intravenously. They also plan, monitor and evaluate drug programs or regimens. They may counsel hospitalized patients on the use of drugs before the patients are discharged.
Pharmacists who work in home health care monitor drug therapy and prepare infusions—solutions that are injected into patients—and other medications for use in the home.
Some pharmacists specialize in specific drug therapy areas, such as intravenous nutrition support, oncology (cancer), nuclear pharmacy (used for chemotherapy), geriatric pharmacy, and psychiatric pharmacy (the use of drugs to treat mental disorders).
Most pharmacists keep confidential computerized records of patients’ drug therapies to prevent harmful drug interactions. Pharmacists are responsible for the accuracy of every prescription that is filled, but they often rely upon Pharmacy technicians and pharmacy aides to assist them in the dispensing process. Thus, the pharmacist may delegate prescription-filling and administrative tasks and supervise their completion. Pharmacists also frequently oversee pharmacy students serving as interns.
Increasingly, pharmacists are pursuing nontraditional pharmacy work. Some are involved in research for pharmaceutical manufacturers, developing new drugs and testing their effects. Others work in marketing or sales, providing clients with expertise on the use, effectiveness, and possible side effects of drugs. Some pharmacists work for health insurance companies, developing pharmacy benefit packages and carrying out cost-benefit analyses on certain drugs. Other pharmacists work for the government, managed care organizations, public health care services, the armed services, or pharmacy associations. Finally, some pharmacists are employed full time or part time as college faculty, teaching classes and performing research in a wide range of areas.
If you enjoy working with people, excel in science, and would like a rewarding career in health care, pharmacy may be the right career for you! There has never been a better time for students to consider a rewarding career in pharmacy. The demand for trained pharmacy professionals has dramatically increased in recent years due to the rapid growth of the health care and pharmaceutical industries, especially for the growing elderly population. The number of pharmacists in health care services is also increasing as pharmacists become more actively involved in drug therapy decision-making for patients of all ages.
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Pharmacy career web sites:
AzHHA Careers in Health Care
Every time you fill a prescription, you encounter a pharmacist. While this is important, there’s much more to a career in pharmacy than what you see at your local pharmacy. Pharmacists are key members of the healthcare team...
Berlex Careers in Pharmacy Guide
Berlex Laboratories is very proud to sponsor the "Careers in Pharmacy 2003 Student Guide Book." Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, along with seven other lawmakers, recently sponsored the "Pharmacy Education Aid Act of 2003" in response to the current pharmacist shortage in the United States. The bill would provide many financial benefits such as loan repayment funds. It is a great time to become a pharmacist.
- Reinhard Franzen, President and CEO, Berlex Laboratories, Inc.
My First Day
Minnesota Hospital Association Web site gives high school students a look at health care careers.
Pharmacists: Unsung Heroes
"Pharmacists: Unsung Heroes" is a one-hour documentary that explores the indispensable link pharmacists have between health care and patient medication use. The documentary traces the history and developments of pharmacy while providing a deeper understanding of the resources provided by pharmacists in hopes of encouraging more people to enter the field whether in community pharmacy, research or academia.
Pfizer Guide to Careers in Pharmacy
The Pfizer Guide to Careers in Pharmacy is a helpful and easy-to-read reference that profiles the life and work of pharmacists in the field, featuring a useful list of organizations and resources, and thoughtful essays by leaders in many areas of pharmacy.
NIH Office of Science Education
National Institutes of Health (NIH) site for students to explore science and medical career opportunities.
HHS Slide Shows on Public Health Pharmacy Topics
Pharmacy-related PowerPoint slides maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
APhA-ASP: Student Professionalism
September/October 2002 issue of the APhA-ASP "Pharmacy Student" journal with focus on student professionalism.
For a list of schools of pharmacy with accredited programs in the US, Canada and Bangladesh please click here.
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