| Pharmacist |
The pharmacist is the most accessible health care professional one can find. Just stop into your local chain
pharmacy, grocery store or even Wal-Mart, and you can easily talk with one. While the general public may think
of pharmacy as a “count and pour profession,” there is a lot more that goes on behind the counter.
Nature of the Work
Community Pharmacists
If you’re ever in need of some quick (and free) advice, these are the people to see. According to one estimate,
community pharmacists get more than two billion questions a year from their customers. Therefore, what you and
I see from the outside is only the tip of the iceberg, to borrow a cliché.
Aside from dispensing medications, pharmacists counsel patients on how to use their medications appropriately;
advise patients, and physicians, on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications; monitor
the health and progress of patients to ensure safe and effective use of medications; and provide general health
information among others responsibilities. Some community pharmacists also provide specialized services to help
patients with diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure; some are even trained to administer
vaccinations or write prescriptions (similar to a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner).
Hospital Pharmacists
Hospital pharmacists have a unique opportunity for direct involvement with patient care. As the drug expert in the
health care team, they are an authoritative source of drug information. In addition, they are responsible for
maintaining records on each patient, using them to fill medication orders and to screen for possible drug allergies,
side effects, interactions, and overdoses. More recently, pharmacists have begun providing specialized services
in adult medicine, pediatrics, oncology, and psychiatry. And due to the diversity of activities in the pharmacy
department, there is also an increasing demand for management experience, including finance and budgeting,
personnel administration, systems development, and planning.
Other Settings
While the majority of pharmacists practice in community and hospital pharmacies, there are a few who practice in
non-conventional settings. The number of people enrolled in managed care programs has risen drastically
leading to numerous employment opportunities in this field. Managed care pharmacists evaluate whether or not
patients are receiving appropriate medications and if not, help determine the best course of therapy.
Of course, someone has to teach the next generation of pharmacists. There are over 4,200 full-time faculty
working in academia, but this number is still insufficient.
Pharmacists also work as government consultants, officers in the military, researchers, and a plethora of new
venues. We will leave it up to you the reader to research these fields if you are interested.
Job Outlook
Job prospects for pharmacists are excellent according to many sources. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
predicts a 22 percent increase in pharmacists by the year 2016; in raw numbers, this translates to an additional
50,000 jobs. The current workforce was 253,000 in 2007. Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc. predicts an even
brighter future with an estimated number of 157,000 pharmacist jobs that need to be filled by the year 2020.
Moreover, Money Magazine included pharmacists in their report of the nations top 10 jobs based on growth, pay,
stress-levels and other factors. They project a 25 percent growth over the next 10 years. These numbers stem
from an aging population; the increased complexity and number of medications; increased emphasis on primary
and preventive health services; home health care; and long term care. Pharmacists will also become more
involved in planning drug therapy programs.
Employment and Earnings
As previously mentioned, there were 253,000 pharmacists employed in the United States in 2007. About 62
percent worked in community pharmacies – drugstore chains, department stores, etc. – while 23 percent worked
in a hospital setting. The remaining 15 percent worked in various capacities ranging from mail-order facilities to
government jobs.
Based upon the most recent Occupational Employment Statistics (2007), the median pharmacist annual wage was
$98,960 ($47.58/hr). The lowest 10 percent earned less than $73,010 while the top 10 percent earned over
$126,410. The median 50 percent earned between $88,060 and $115,030.
Top paying states are shown in the table below.
Education
In the fall of 2005, 46,527 students were enrolled in the United States, more than 49 percent of whom held a post-
secondary degree (associate degree, 3.4 percent; baccalaureate, 43.4 percent; masters, 2.2 percent; doctorate,
0.6 percent). With only 92 schools as of 2007, admission is highly competitive; the table below is a small example
of the competitiveness for the 2008 – 2009 academic year. In addition to grades and interviews, two-thirds of
schools require applicants to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT).
Since the B.S. in Pharmacy degree was eliminated in 1997, the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) is the ONLY
professional practice degree. The Pharm.D. degree requires four years of professional study (three at
accelerated programs), following a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy study. Exceptions necessarily exist, but
the majority of pre-pharmacy requirements include:
For those who want to pursue further education, graduate study leading to a Master of Science (M.S.) or Doctor
of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is available at many schools of pharmacy. However, these two degrees are research
degrees and DO NOT qualify the holder to be a licensed pharmacist unless he also holds a Pharm.D.
Although most schools of pharmacy offer similar courses, there is no set curriculum, but a common core of
subjects. Major areas of instruction include the following:
Licensure
In order to practice as a pharmacist, a license is required in the United States, the District of Columbia, and all
U.S. territories. This process involves graduating from an accredited school of pharmacy AND passing a series of
exams. The North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) tests pharmacy skills and knowledge and is
required by all states. In addition, forty-four states and the District of Columbia require the Multistate Pharmacy
Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE), which tests pharmacy law. Both tests are given by the National Association of
Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The states that do not require the MPJE administer their own pharmacy law exam,
California being one.
Except for California, all jurisdictions allow license transfers to qualified pharmacists who already hold a license
from another jurisdiction. Most licenses require continuing education for license renewal.
Costs
Tuition varies from school to school, but range from $5,264 (North Dakota State, resident) to $38,270 (Western
University) a year. Below is a cost breakdown of a few schools.
pharmacy, grocery store or even Wal-Mart, and you can easily talk with one. While the general public may think
of pharmacy as a “count and pour profession,” there is a lot more that goes on behind the counter.
Nature of the Work
Community Pharmacists
If you’re ever in need of some quick (and free) advice, these are the people to see. According to one estimate,
community pharmacists get more than two billion questions a year from their customers. Therefore, what you and
I see from the outside is only the tip of the iceberg, to borrow a cliché.
Aside from dispensing medications, pharmacists counsel patients on how to use their medications appropriately;
advise patients, and physicians, on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications; monitor
the health and progress of patients to ensure safe and effective use of medications; and provide general health
information among others responsibilities. Some community pharmacists also provide specialized services to help
patients with diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure; some are even trained to administer
vaccinations or write prescriptions (similar to a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner).
Hospital Pharmacists
Hospital pharmacists have a unique opportunity for direct involvement with patient care. As the drug expert in the
health care team, they are an authoritative source of drug information. In addition, they are responsible for
maintaining records on each patient, using them to fill medication orders and to screen for possible drug allergies,
side effects, interactions, and overdoses. More recently, pharmacists have begun providing specialized services
in adult medicine, pediatrics, oncology, and psychiatry. And due to the diversity of activities in the pharmacy
department, there is also an increasing demand for management experience, including finance and budgeting,
personnel administration, systems development, and planning.
Other Settings
While the majority of pharmacists practice in community and hospital pharmacies, there are a few who practice in
non-conventional settings. The number of people enrolled in managed care programs has risen drastically
leading to numerous employment opportunities in this field. Managed care pharmacists evaluate whether or not
patients are receiving appropriate medications and if not, help determine the best course of therapy.
Of course, someone has to teach the next generation of pharmacists. There are over 4,200 full-time faculty
working in academia, but this number is still insufficient.
Pharmacists also work as government consultants, officers in the military, researchers, and a plethora of new
venues. We will leave it up to you the reader to research these fields if you are interested.
Job Outlook
Job prospects for pharmacists are excellent according to many sources. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
predicts a 22 percent increase in pharmacists by the year 2016; in raw numbers, this translates to an additional
50,000 jobs. The current workforce was 253,000 in 2007. Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc. predicts an even
brighter future with an estimated number of 157,000 pharmacist jobs that need to be filled by the year 2020.
Moreover, Money Magazine included pharmacists in their report of the nations top 10 jobs based on growth, pay,
stress-levels and other factors. They project a 25 percent growth over the next 10 years. These numbers stem
from an aging population; the increased complexity and number of medications; increased emphasis on primary
and preventive health services; home health care; and long term care. Pharmacists will also become more
involved in planning drug therapy programs.
Employment and Earnings
As previously mentioned, there were 253,000 pharmacists employed in the United States in 2007. About 62
percent worked in community pharmacies – drugstore chains, department stores, etc. – while 23 percent worked
in a hospital setting. The remaining 15 percent worked in various capacities ranging from mail-order facilities to
government jobs.
Based upon the most recent Occupational Employment Statistics (2007), the median pharmacist annual wage was
$98,960 ($47.58/hr). The lowest 10 percent earned less than $73,010 while the top 10 percent earned over
$126,410. The median 50 percent earned between $88,060 and $115,030.
Top paying states are shown in the table below.
Education
In the fall of 2005, 46,527 students were enrolled in the United States, more than 49 percent of whom held a post-
secondary degree (associate degree, 3.4 percent; baccalaureate, 43.4 percent; masters, 2.2 percent; doctorate,
0.6 percent). With only 92 schools as of 2007, admission is highly competitive; the table below is a small example
of the competitiveness for the 2008 – 2009 academic year. In addition to grades and interviews, two-thirds of
schools require applicants to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT).
Since the B.S. in Pharmacy degree was eliminated in 1997, the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) is the ONLY
professional practice degree. The Pharm.D. degree requires four years of professional study (three at
accelerated programs), following a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy study. Exceptions necessarily exist, but
the majority of pre-pharmacy requirements include:
For those who want to pursue further education, graduate study leading to a Master of Science (M.S.) or Doctor
of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is available at many schools of pharmacy. However, these two degrees are research
degrees and DO NOT qualify the holder to be a licensed pharmacist unless he also holds a Pharm.D.
Although most schools of pharmacy offer similar courses, there is no set curriculum, but a common core of
subjects. Major areas of instruction include the following:
- Pharmacognosy deals with the nature and sources of “natural drugs”-those obtained from plants or animals.
- Pharmacology is concerned with understanding the action of drugs in the body.
- Pharmacy administration is a vital area for two reasons: it covers basic economics, accounting,
management – crucial for those aspiring to become executives or hoping to run their own pharmacies; and
it covers pharmacy law. - Pharmacy practice courses are intended to familiarize students with the many forms of medicines, and to
teach them how to dispense medication accurately and skillfully. - Clinical pharmacy deals with actual patient care, with an emphasis on drug therapy. This area of the
curriculum seeks to develop a patient-oriented attitude in the student.
Licensure
In order to practice as a pharmacist, a license is required in the United States, the District of Columbia, and all
U.S. territories. This process involves graduating from an accredited school of pharmacy AND passing a series of
exams. The North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) tests pharmacy skills and knowledge and is
required by all states. In addition, forty-four states and the District of Columbia require the Multistate Pharmacy
Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE), which tests pharmacy law. Both tests are given by the National Association of
Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The states that do not require the MPJE administer their own pharmacy law exam,
California being one.
Except for California, all jurisdictions allow license transfers to qualified pharmacists who already hold a license
from another jurisdiction. Most licenses require continuing education for license renewal.
Costs
Tuition varies from school to school, but range from $5,264 (North Dakota State, resident) to $38,270 (Western
University) a year. Below is a cost breakdown of a few schools.
|
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*** Tuition and fees are for a three semester academic year
