Pharmacists
Occupational Description
Pharmacists dispense drugs that have been prescribed by
physicians, dentists, and other health care practitioners. They
must have a thorough understanding of drug products and how they
affect people, and they counsel their customers about the proper
uses of medications. This knowledge is very important because some
drugs can be ineffective or even dangerous if they are taken with
other drugs or alcohol. Pharmacists must understand the use, clinical
effects, and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological,
and physical properties. Most pharmacists work either in a community
setting, such as a retail drug store, or in a hospital or clinic.
Pharmacists in community or retail pharmacies counsel patients
and answer questions about prescription drugs, such as those about
possible adverse reactions or interactions. They provide information
about over-the-counter drugs and make recommendations after asking
a series of health questions, such as whether the customer is taking
any other medications. They also give advice about durable medical
equipment and home healthcare supplies. Some community pharmacists
provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions
such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
Pharmacists in hospitals and clinics dispense medications and advise
the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs. They may
make sterile solutions and buy medical supplies. They also assess,
plan, and monitor drug programs or regimens. They counsel patients
on the use of drugs while in the hospital, and on their use at home
when the patients are discharged. Pharmacists may also evaluate
drug use patterns and outcomes for patients in hospitals or managed
care organizations.
A growing number of pharmacists today are choosing to work in a
variety of positions for pharmaceutical companies. Some of these
pharmacists are involved in research and product development, conducting
analyses and testing products. Others work in production and quality
assurance, evaluating procedures for manufacturing and packaging
drugs. Still others work in marketing or as sales representatives.
A license to practice pharmacy is required in all states, the District
of Columbia, and U.S. territories. To obtain a license, one must
serve an internship under a licensed pharmacist, graduate from an
accredited college of pharmacy, and pass a State examination.
There are currently 92 colleges
of pharmacy (including 1 in Puerto Rico) accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education. Pharmacy programs grant the
degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D), which requires at least
6 years of post-secondary study and the passing of the licensure
examination of a State Board of Pharmacy. The Pharm.D is a 4-year
program that requires at least 2 years of college study prior to
admittance. This degree has replaced the Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
degree, which will cease to be awarded after 2005.
Personal Skills & Characteristics
Being a pharmacist requires sound judgment, dependability,
and conscientious performance. Pharmacists are an important link
in the health care chain. They are responsible for making sure that
patients actually get what the doctor ordered. The wrong drug or
the wrong dosage could be dangerous or even fatal. For this reason,
pharmacists must have a high level of personal reliability and ethics.
Many of the drugs that they will deal with are addictive and must
be closely regulated. Since many pharmacists work with the public,
they need to have good people skills. A willingness to learn is
also vital to being a good pharmacist. New pharmaceutical products
are being created constantly, and medical research is continually
suggesting new approaches to drug therapy. As a pharmacist, one
must remain aware of new developments in the field.
Employment
Pharmacists usually work in clean, well-lit, and well-ventilated
areas. Many pharmacists spend most of their workday on their feet.
When working with sterile or potentially dangerous pharmaceutical
products, pharmacists wear gloves and masks and work with other
special protective equipment. Most full-time salaried pharmacists
work about 40 hours a week. Some, including many self-employed pharmacists,
work more than 50 hours a week. Many community and hospital pharmacies
are open for extended hours or around the clock, so pharmacists
may work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pharmacists held about 243,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in community pharmacies that were either independently owned or part of a drugstore chain, grocery store, department store, or mass merchandiser. Most community pharmacists were salaried employees, but some were self-employed owners. About 23 percent of pharmacists worked in hospitals. A small proportion worked in mail-order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of physicians, and the Federal Government.
Earnings
Median annual of wage-and-salary pharmacists in May 2006 were $94,520. The middle 50 percent earned between $83,180 and $108,140 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $67,860, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $119,480 a year. According to a 2006 survey by Drug
Topics Magazine, pharmacists in retail settings earned an average of $92,291 per year, while pharmacists in institutional settings earned an average of $97,545. Full-time pharmacists earned an average of $102,336, while part-time pharmacists earned an average of $55,589.
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for pharmacists is expected to increase much faster than the average through 2016. This is due to the fact that the number of pharmacy degrees
granted are not expected to be as numerous as the number of job
openings created by employment growth and the need to replace pharmacists
who retire or otherwise leave the profession. The growing numbers
of middle-aged and elderly people—who, on average, use more
prescription drugs than do younger people—will also continue
to spur demand for pharmacists in all practice settings. Other factors
likely to increase the demand for pharmacists include scientific
advances that will make more drug products available, new developments
in genome research and medication distribution systems, and increasingly
sophisticated consumers seeking more information about drugs.
Employment of pharmacists will not grow as fast in hospitals as
in other industries because hospitals are reducing inpatient stays,
downsizing, and consolidating departments. The number of outpatient
surgeries is increasing, so more patients are being discharged and
purchasing their medications through retail, supermarket, or mail-order
pharmacies, rather than through hospitals. New opportunities are
emerging for pharmacists in managed-care organizations, where they
may analyze trends and patterns in medication use for their patient
populations, and for pharmacists trained in research, disease management,
and pharmacoeconomics—determining the costs and benefits of
different drug therapies.
Cost-conscious insurers and health systems may continue to emphasize
the role of pharmacists in primary and preventive health services.
They realize that the expense of using medication to treat diseases
and conditions often is considerably less than the potential costs
for patients whose conditions go untreated. Pharmacists also can
reduce the expenses resulting from unexpected complications due
to allergic reactions or medication interactions.
Planning Ahead
Since most pharmacy programs have specific course requirements,
it is important to plan ahead to make sure all the necessary prerequisites
are completed. It is also important to start gaining some hands-on
experiences with pharmacies in community settings, such as a retail
drug stores, or in a hospital or clinic.
The Career Center has a team of pre-health counselors to assist
students with a preparation and application timeline that fits their
circumstances. Appointments may be scheduled with a pre-health counselor
by calling 734/764-7460 or stopping by the office at 3200 Student
Activities Building.
Educational Requirements
Colleges of Pharmacy require at least 2-3 years of college-level
pre-pharmacy education. Entry requirements usually include mathematics
and natural sciences, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, as
well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.
For general pharmacy requirement questions contact
a pre-health academic advisor in LSA. For school specific questions,
contact the schools directly.
Preparation Beyond The Classroom
Consider getting a part-time job in a drug store or volunteer
at a pharmacy in a hospital to gain hands-on experience. In a drug
store, you can get a part-time job as a stock clerk, salesperson,
or delivery person. In these positions, you would have the opportunity
to observe first-hand the kind of work that pharmacists do and gain
experience in dealing with customers. It may even be possible to
assist in the pharmacy—entering data in customer computer
records, taking inventory on pharmaceuticals, bottles, and vials,
and preparing labels. Working in a nutrition and vitamin store can
also provide a great learning opportunity about dietary supplements
and herbal alternatives to pharmaceuticals.
Connect with U of M alumni for informational interviewing, networking,
or job shadowing. Visit Alumni Networks at http://career.umalumni.com
Application Process Overview
Students applying to Pharm.D programs are strongly encouraged
to initiate their application process one year prior to when they
plan to begin their academic program.
Over half of the colleges of pharmacy participate in the PharmCAS
on-line application program. You can visit this web site by going
to http://www.pharmcas.org
to find out specific application procedures for the member schools.
PharmCAS will collect and process applications to pharmacy colleges
and schools that participate in this service. Applicants who apply
through PharmCAS will submit a completed web-based application comprised
of biographical data, post-secondary institutions attended, academic
course history, work experience, extracurricular activities, a personal
statement, and official transcripts from all accredited US and Canadian
institutions attended.
Admission committees for pharmacy programs review credentials such
as academic qualifications, transcripts, grade point average, personal
statement, letters of reference, a personal interview and volunteer,
work, or shadowing experiences. Keep in mind that these are general
admissions criteria and admissions requirements can vary from school
to school.
Standardized Tests
Required standardized tests vary by pharmacy program. Please
check the program descriptions to identify which tests are required
by a particular program. Some of the most common standardized test
required for admission to pharmacy programs are the:
Pharmacy College Admission Test
(PCAT)
The PCAT has been designed to measure achievement in areas critical
to the study of pharmacy. PCAT has five content areas: Verbal Ability,
Quantitative Ability, Chemistry, Biology, and Reading Comprehension.
There are three test dates each academic year usually given in October,
January, and March. The test has 300 multiple choice questions and
takes approximately four hours to administer. For registration materials
call 1-800-622-3231 or go to the PCAT web site.
Medical College
Admission Test (MCAT)
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice
examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking,
and writing skills in addition to the examinee's knowledge of science
concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. Scores
are reported in each of the following areas: Verbal Reasoning, Physical
Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences.
The Dental
Admissions Test (DAT)
This computerized test measures general academic ability, comprehension
of scientific information and perceptual ability. Completion of
at least one year of college-level courses in biology, and general
and organic chemistry is recommended for participation in the examination
program. The DAT is divided into the following sections: Natural
Science, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, Qualitative
Reasoning.
The Optometry Admission
Test (OAT)
The testing program is designed to measure general academic ability
and comprehension of scientific information achieved from college
or university coursework. Examinations are administered twice a
year, usually during February and October, at numerous U.S. and
Canadian test centers.
Graduate Record Examination
(GRE)
The GRE is divided into the following sections: Verbal, Quantitative,
and Analytical Writing. The General Test measures analytical writing,
verbal, and quantitative skills that have been acquired over a long
period of time and that are not related to any specific field of
study.
Reference Letters
Pharmacy programs will require two to three letters of
reference. The type of references requested varies by program and
school. In general, applicants should seek references that can attest
to their academic performance and comment on their professional
skills and potential for success in a rigorous professional degree
program. Some schools will also request a character reference reflecting
on the applicant's personal traits and characteristics.
The Career Center's Reference Letter Service (RLS) offers University
of Michigan students and alumni/ae the opportunity to have letters
of reference on file to use in support of their employment and continuing
education efforts. Open
a reference letter file with the RLS.
Personal Statement Information
Applicants to pharmacy programs are often asked to write
a personal essay. Essay topics vary, but applicants might expect
to have to comment on their professional objectives, how a Pharm.D
degree will help to achieve their professional goals, or what their
personal vision is for the field of pharmacy.
If you need assistance getting started on your personal statement or would welcome feedback on your draft, please schedule an advising appointment with The Career Center by calling 734/764-7460.
Interviews
Most pharmacy schools will require an interview. Interviews
will assess applicants' knowledge of the scope of the pharmacy profession
and their professional goals. Gather interview tips through available
literature and interview programs sponsored by The Career Center.
Schedule a videotaped mock interview at The Career Center, 3200
SAB (734/764-7460) to gain practice and confidence.
Admissions Update
The number of applications for all pharmacy schools increased 14.46 percent between the 2005-2006 and the 2004-2005 academic years. In 2007, 60.4 percent of applications were submitted by females, 39.4 percent were submitted by males, and gender was not reported or known for 0.2 percent of applications. Accepted PharmCAS applicants for the 2007 entering class earned an average 3.28 undergraduate science GPA and a 3.38 overall GPA. The majority of accepted students had completed 3 or more years of college prior to enrollment. For those PharmCAS schools that require it, the average composite PCAT percentile score for accepted applicants was 72.6 percent.
Resources To Learn More
Links to Internet sites are provided for your convenience
and do not constitute an endorsement.
For information on pharmacy as a career, pre-professional and professional
requirements, programs offered by colleges of pharmacy, and student
financial aid, contact:
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 1426 Prince Street,
Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 739-2330, (703) 836-8982 (fax),
mail@aacp.org
http://www.aacp.org
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, 1600 Feehanville Drive,
Mount Prospect, IL 60056, (847) 391-4406
http://www.nabp.net
National Association of Chain Drug Stores, 413 N. Lee Street, P.O.
Box 1417-D49, Alexandria, VA 22313-1480, (703) 549-3001, (703) 836-4869
(fax)
http://www.nacds.org
American Pharmacists Association, 2215 Constitution Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20037, (202) 628-4410, (202) 783-2351 (fax)
http://www.aphanet.org
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