How to Become a Pharmacist

Education

To become qualified, a pharmacist needs to have the Pharm.D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree. This has replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.

The Pharm.D. must come from an accredited college or school. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) confers such accreditation.

To qualify for the degree course, it's usually necessary to take two years of postsecondary coursework. This includes the basic sciences of biology, chemistry, and physics, plus anatomy, physiology, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences.

After completing the postsecondary work, a budding pharmacist must pass the pharmacy college admission test (PCAT). It's then possible to gain entry to a four-year Pharm.D. program.

During these four years, student pharmacists study the chemistry of drugs and the way that drugs work in the human body. Students also learn how drugs react when used together.

Further aspects of the program include patient care, communication with patients and medical staff, public health, drug distribution management, and ethics.

Not all the Pharm.D. work is in the classroom, however. Students gain practical experience by spending 1,500 hours or more as interns in clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies. This experience usually occurs over a series of rotations throughout the four year course.

The shortest period of study to become a pharmacist is six years in total. In reality, many students opt for pharmacy after pursuing other studies and may spend eight years or more at college.

Further qualifications

About 65% of pharmacy schools offer graduate degrees beyond the Pharm.D. These qualifications are either a Master of Science or a Ph.D. degree.

For anyone keen to get further experience in research and laboratory work, these extra qualifications are the best option. Research areas include the way drugs affect the human body, and the chemical nature of drugs.

Number of pharmacy schools

There are 100 pharmacist schools and colleges with ACPE accreditation. The locations are across the country. The schools may offer slightly different curricula, but the end degree is the same.

Licensure

Once students graduate from pharmacy school, they can apply for a license. Without a license, pharmacists cannot practice in any of the U.S. states or territories.

Other skills

Apart from scientific aptitude, relevant qualifications, and a license, pharmacists need certain personal qualities to succeed. Among these are an ability to deal with a wide range of people, and a willingness to help.

Pharmacists must also be patient and thorough, and be able to pay close attention to detail. Pharmacists cannot cut corners. Their work has a direct impact on people's lives.

Job applications

During their coursework, students may decide on the career path they prefer. This could be with a community pharmacy as a member of the team, or in a hospital or clinic. Alternatively, students may wish to apply for work with a pharmaceutical company.

Whatever the decision, there's a shortage of pharmacists in the U.S. It's therefore relatively easy to obtain a job. In fact, growth in the pharmaceutical profession is higher than for most other occupations.

Becoming a pharmacist is therefore hard work, but the prospects for employment are excellent.

Published on 2009-11-17