Helpful Advice On Becoming A Pharmacist
The prospect of advising patients about different drugs and prescriptions and helping patients combat and prevent disease, a career as a pharmacist may be right for you. Pharmacy is much more than it appears from the surface. A Doctor of Pharmacy degree can prepare someone to advise patients and physicians with medication therapy, immunize against disease, participate in drug discovery and development or work in nonprofit or federal agencies to improve population. Health Schools vary in their entrance requirements and academic expectations. Typically, pharmacy schools are eager to enroll students who have all of the following qualities: competence in science, time-management abilities, teamwork experiences and people skills. If all you’ve ever done is sit in the library and work on your academics and (you) have never interacted with people … that probably doesn’t lend itself very well to the profession. Admissions officials look for individuals who are comfortable in interacting and working with others.
Some pharmacy schools require bachelor’s degrees, while others only require prerequisite courses. Pharmacy schools that do mandate bachelor’s degrees aren’t usually particular about candidates college majors. Pharmacy schools vary in whether they require candidates to submit entrance exam scores from the Pharmacy College Admission Test.
Pharmacy schools usually have significant academic prerequisites. Most schools of pharmacy require a strong background in biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and math prior to entering the professional program. While there are variations to this list, a pharmacist is a medication expert and as such must have an in-depth understanding of the chemical and biological functions of the body and how the drugs being prescribed contribute to positive outcomes.
There are several types of pharmacist positions, including not only community pharmacists who work in drug stores and serve the general public, but other types as well. Hospital pharmacists work in hospital pharmacies servicing the medical and surgical medication needs of the hospital clientele. Acute care pharmacists work with the medical teams on the floors of hospitals and work directly with patients. Finally, primary care pharmacists work with medical teams that help clients manage chronic diseases in … out-patient settings.
An aspiring Pharmacist must be willing to have experiences in volunteer work that shows a caring attitude, must be a good communicator with good language skills and empathy for patient care.
One way for someone to gauge whether they’d enjoy work as a pharmacist is by working or volunteering at a pharmacy. You will be able to understand the role and expectations of a pharmacist. Additionally, this will also provide you with insight on how the pharmacy operates.
Aspiring pharmacists should aim to speak with as many practicing pharmacists as possible to assess whether the job is a good fit.
Shadowing is a great way to see what a day in the life of a pharmacist looks like, but many health systems are limiting these opportunities due to concerns about patient privacy. Prospective students also has great success with arranging informational interviews with pharmacists when shadowing is not accessible.