Career of a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Introduction
If you have ever thought about becoming a pharmacist, this article is for you. You will learn everything you need to know about being a pharmacist. Where do pharmacists work, how much they get paid, how you can become a pharmacist and even more!
What is it like to be a pharmacist?
It is not as much challenging as other people may tell you, but all of the tasks a pharmacist have to do can easily become overwhelming some days.
What do pharmacists do?
Pharmacists dispense drugs provided by doctors. They review prescriptions and patients health history to make sure the drugs they take don't have any incompatibilities that can cause bad reactions. They also check the dosage, recommend how much you can take in a certain period, and counsel patients on the proper use of the medication they take. They answer questions from the patients about their medications, give them advice and reassure them when needed. They can also have some tasks in the managing part of where they work. They also educate other employees, making sure they do the right thing.
What do pharmacists do on a typical day?
On a typical day, pharmacists will mostly dispense medications for patients, speak with their doctors, provide advice for patients, explain the proper use of medication and supervise the staff and pharmacy technicians.
Where do pharmacists work?
Many pharmacists work in retail or clinical pharmacies. Some of them might be working in a hospital, where they have limited responsibilities and are constantly watched by their supervisor. You can also find pharmacists in the military or the research field.
How can I become a pharmacist?
To become a pharmacist, you have to have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, which takes four years (university) to obtain and a license to practice where you live. For those who live in the province of Quebec, you have to study two or three years in natural sciences in Cegep, then enter university in pharmacy. Elsewhere in Canada and the United States, you have to do two years of undergraduate school in sciences or mathematics, such as chemistry or biology, then enter college for four years of study in pharmacy. Internships and other formations will be required. You have to have a license to practice, which you obtain by a successful completion of the academic and clinical requirements of a professional degree from an accredited program and by passing of state board exam.
How much money do pharmacists make?
The average salary for a pharmacist is $97,000(cad), annually. It depends a lot on where you work, though. In some states, the annual salary can up to $164,000(US), and in some provinces in Canada, it can be around $150,000(cad). It is important to know that these are not the salaries a new pharmacist will have. These are the average salaries of a pharmacist that has been working for at least 7 to 10 years.
What kinds of additional training do pharmacists need?
Pharmacists can have conferences about the new technologies and new equipment in their pharmacy. At the beginning of their career, they also need to assist to a few conferences and classes about communicating with others. A big part of their job is to reassure and talk to people, so this communication training is mandatory and very important to become a good pharmacist.
What are the dangers of being a pharmacist?
There are not many dangers that will put the life of the pharmacist at risk. But, as a pharmacist, you have the health and life of the patients in your hands. Making an error could cost the life of someone. If the pharmacist gave the patient the wrong dosage, for example, he/she will not feel great and will need to go to the hospital. It can be fatal in some cases. For a pharmacist, the biggest danger is the exposure to some drugs, but there aren't that many drugs that are so strong they have a negative effect on the people preparing it.
What are the chances that pharmacists will be replaced by robots soon?
There are not many chances that it will happen anytime soon. There are robots in a pharmacy. But they do simple tasks like counting pills or putting labels on things that give the pharmacists the opportunity to do higher-order jobs. The level of judgment and expertise that pharmacists provide cannot be replaced by robots, not anytime soon anyway.
What age do pharmacists retire at?
A pharmacist can retire at the age of 55. Some pharmacists retire early while others continue working until they are 62 and even more sometimes. It depends on how much money you have and your will to work.
Conclusion
As you can see, being a pharmacist is not a difficult job, but a quite stressful one. For my part, I am finishing my second and last year in natural sciences at cegep. Next year, I will apply in a pharmacy program at university and start my four year course to become a pharmacist.
More by this author
Introduction link: https://annsophienadeau.blogspot.com/2021/09/about-me.html
Glossary link: https://annsophienadeau.blogspot.com/2021/09/my-science-glossary_20.html
Screencast link: https://youtu.be/aKG86zNsVJg
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Source: https://www.careerbuilder.com/advice/whats-it-like-being-a-pharmacist
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Source: https://www.princetonreview.com/careers/111/pharmacist
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Source: https://www.learnhowtobecome.org/pharmacist/
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