Do You Want One Of the Pharmacist Jobs?
We all get sick from time to time. And when you’re feeling under the weather, there are a few things you need to do: keep your immune system strong, eat well and get plenty of rest, and see a medical doctor.
But did you know that someone else can help alleviate your symptoms? A pharmacist can recommend over-the-counter medications or prescribe prescription medication if necessary. And here's good news: one in four families in America don't have adequate health care coverage due to the rapidly rising cost of healthcare. This means that pharmacists are often needed in hospitals looking after patients who have been discharged but are still ill. Want an exciting job that helps people physically and financially? Become a pharmacist!
Pharmacy schools are churning out graduates who are filling these positions at hospitals and clinics all over the country. The job market is so hot, in fact, that pharmacists make well more than the average starting salary of $420,000.
The profession of pharmacy is not just about dispensing medication. A pharmacist must also dispense valuable medical advice to patients and provide other related services such as helping a patient with insurance or billing questions. Pharmacists can help people improve their health through public health services as well. For example, some pharmacists have been trained to give flu shots or other inoculations at their pharmacies.
Here are the four steps to become a pharmacist:
1. Earn an undergraduate degree in pharmacy
To qualify for school you must take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). If you can, try to take math and science classes that will make taking this test easier. The exam has three parts: mathematics, chemistry, and reading comprehension. To prepare for the mathematics portion of the exam, learn how to work with fractions and decimals, how to solve systems of equations, and how to work with logarithms. For chemistry don't forget about atomic structure and molecular geometry.
2. Earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree
To earn this degree, you will have to take courses in the following areas:
Anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology – how the body works and why it sometimes doesn't work at the most optimum level
Microbiology – what causes disease and how diseases can be treated through medications or immunizations or other means. Some pharmacists also study chemistry, biochemistry, genetics and psychology in this area.
Organic chemistry – how various compounds are formed by combining various substances.
Pharmaceutical chemistry – how medications are synthesized, the makeup of these drugs and what the interaction is between drugs and living tissue.
3. Earn a license to practice pharmacy
This requires passing an exam sponsored by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. In order to take this test, you must be trained in bioethics as well. After passing this test, you will receive a national license that allows you to work as a pharmacist anywhere in the country. Note: Every state has their own licensing procedures so make sure you understand what they are before applying for your state's board exam.
4. Keep up with professional education to stay on top of the latest developments
This isn't just about your day-to-day job as a pharmacist, but you need to keep your skills sharp as well. You'll also want to continue your studies in other areas such as bioethics, business and economics. The education you receive at the college will prepare you for this and many other careers.
What are some of the perks of becoming a pharmacist? Here are some tips:
The salary is very good and can go up from there due to performance reviews; many pharmacists start out making less than $100,000 a year.
You can work at a drug store or retail pharmacy as well as a hospital, clinic or doctor's office.
Pharmacies are in high demand because people depend on them to fill their prescriptions.
There are many different types of pharmacies and specialties; you can choose your own niche! For example, most pharmacists work in a hospital pharmacy because they provide medicines and drugs to patients who are too ill to go home. However, if you like working with people make sure you check out the types of pharmacists available in the community that can help you practice medicine within your community. Specialty areas include hospice practices, patient welfare, community health services and rural areas.
You can work in a group practice where you and other pharmacists provide services to people in your community. This can be very rewarding as you work with other people who like working with people on a daily basis.
And one more perk of becoming a pharmacist: at the end of the day, you can relax, go to a restaurant or do something fun with friends knowing that you did what you loved doing that day!
You Can Become A Pharmacist! (An Amazing Career)
As I started typing this article, I had the hardest time figuring out how to start it off. I have been in pharmacy for a few years, and have thought about maybe becoming a pharmacist at some point or another. So, I started doing some research on the profession and all of the amazing things that I could do with this degree! When I read that more and more pharmacists are starting to assist patients with insurance coverage and other financial assistance, as well as providing additional medical advice to patients, I knew that this is where I wanted my career to go.
I knew that to become a pharmacist you have to be at the top of your class in college (I am working on it), and graduate schools are hard to get into, so I decided to look into getting accepted into pharmacy school after my undergraduate studies. I was a little bit shocked when I found out that most students don't apply to school until they are done with their undergraduate work. So, I started my research into the undergraduate pharmacy schools and my research brought me to this article.
I had no idea about all of the things that pharmacists can do or all of the different jobs that are available for them. I am excited to learn everything I can about this profession and start my career. This is an amazing career and more people should consider it!
So, if you are thinking about becoming a pharmacist and want to start your research into the profession, I hope that this post has helped you in some way! Feel free to leave me a comment below or send me an email, and I will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
Thanks so much for reading. P.s. If this is the first time you are reading my blog, please feel free to check out the other posts on the top right side of your screen (or the sidebar).
Conclusion
It is a promising career, and will only continue to grow as more patients need medications to live good quality lives. You can become a pharmacist and help these individuals out. I think it's an amazing career for anyone looking for a medical profession that still provides a lot of opportunities for you to grow in your own niche. It's important to know the different areas you can work in and if it fits your personality before choosing this profession, but the reality is that pharmacists don't just fill prescriptions anymore; they are helping patients on many different levels, both medically and financially.