Pharmacists are more than just drug dispensers - they're licensed healthcare professionals dedicated to improving patient health by educating patients about drug use and illness prevention, monitoring patient progress and advising physicians on medication issues. Becoming a pharmacist entails at least two years of undergraduate coursework followed by four years of pharmacy school. Pharmacists must also obtain licensure to serve in the profession.
Pharmacist Educational Requirements
Undergraduate Education
Pre-pharmacy students must complete at least two years of college to be eligible for pharmacy school, though most complete 3-4 years of a bachelor's degree program. Aspiring pharmacists aren't required to pursue specific majors; however, undergraduate coursework in physics, chemistry, biology and calculus can provide a foundation for advanced pharmacy classes.
Doctor of Pharmacy Degree
While bachelor's degrees in pharmacy were once the requirement for entry-level positions, pharmacists are now required to hold Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) professional degrees. Pharm.D. programs take four years to complete and prepare students for the technical, scientific and patient-care aspects of the profession. Courses may include:
Pathophysiology
Toxicology
Disease treatments
Biopharmaceuticals
Pharmacy ethics and law
Drug absorption rates
Patient care
Medicinal chemistry
Pharm.D. programs also incorporate clinical training into their curricula. Through clerkships, students gain practical experience in pharmacy settings under the supervision of licensed pharmacists. The goal of clinical practice is to familiarize students with patient interaction while allowing them to develop professional skills by applying knowledge acquired in the classroom.
Post-Graduate Training
Graduates of Pharm.D. programs may choose to pursue additional training through residencies or fellowships. These programs generally last 1-2 years and allow training pharmacists to gain direct, patient-care experience in community pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Residents may pursue training in general, clinical or specialty pharmacy practice and are typically required to complete research projects. Fellowships provide pharmacists with more specialized training in a particular field, such as biomedical research, community pharmacy practice or geriatrics pharmacology.
Pharmacist Career Summary
Licensure
Graduates of Pharm.D. degree programs must pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) in order to demonstrate the skills necessary to safely distribute medicine (www.nabp.net). Most states also require the NABP's Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination on federal and state laws. Other licensing requirements might include a criminal background screening and a certain amount of clinical experience.
Career Options
Once licensed, individuals may go on to serve as pharmacists in community, government or consulting pharmacies. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most pharmacists work in retail locations as salaried employees (www.bls.gov). They may also work in private and public healthcare facilities or deliver hospice care.
Outlook and Salary Information
Pharmacists were expected to enjoy an employment increase of 17% from 2008-2018, according to the BLS. Job growth was anticipated partly because of the growing middle-aged and elderly populations in the U.S. and due to advances in new drug treatments. As patient care becomes a greater aspect of the occupation, the BLS predicted that the healthcare industry would increase the demand for pharmacists to monitor patient medication.
In May 2009, the BLS reported that pharmacists earned a mean annual wage of $106,630. Wages varied by industry and location with the highest paid pharmacists in consulting services earning a yearly average of $116,710. California was the highest paying state, offering an average salary of $117,080.
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