A General Look at Pharmacy Jobs
When thinking of pharmacy jobs in general, the positions of pharmacist, technician and assistant come to mind. Becoming a pharmacist requires achieving a higher level of education than that required by the other levels. This higher level of education and responsibility is reflected in higher salaries.
Pharmacists are required to earn at least a bachelor\’s degree in this discipline from an accredited university. Graduation from the program does not necessarily guarantee job placement, however. National Board examinations are a requirement. In addition, apprenticeship and internship programs are required to gain practical experience under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
Pharmacists will work in hospitals, independent and chain drugstores and in retirement homes. Pharmacy technicians and assistants will have opportunities for employment in these same areas.
As the populate ages, more pharmaceuticals are being created and produced to fill their needs. The pharmacist is the crucial link between the healthcare provider and the patient. Their job requires constant interaction between patients, physicians and other healthcare providers.
The pharmacist ensures that there are no drug interaction possibilities when a patient is prescribed new medication. This is why it is vital that the patient\’s pharmacist, as well as the attending health-care provider/physician be updated consistently with a patient\’s medical history, prescription and over-the counter medications.
A pharmacist is trained to be extensively and specifically knowledgeable about medications. They will communicate with physicians when there is a question about prescription medicine and the patient\’s medical or medication history. They will also usually inform patients if there is a generic, and less expensive brand on the market, which has the same efficacy as the one prescribed.
A technician is often the intermediary between the pharmacist and the patient. The technologist would likely be someone who has superb people skills. A person aspiring to a profession as a pharmacy technician will have one of the best opportunities for employment in the future.
This area of the job market has been relatively neglected. New drugs are being developed every day, so the technologist would hopefully be a person who enjoys constant learning. A pharmacist may benefit from knowing several languages, for example; however, the most hireable and efficient pharmacy technologist would be fluent in many languages. Being multi-lingual, someone in this position would be the perfect intermediary between the patient and the pharmacist.
Assistants and technologists must work only under the direct supervision of a pharmacist. Assistants differ from technologists in that the assistant can only dispense medication under supervision. A technologist, on the other hand, is qualified to make a variety of suspensions and give a limited amount of medical advice.
A technologist will earn a diploma rather than a bachelor\’s degree. An assistant must study for a diploma but does not have to write licensing exams. The amount of education a person working in the pharmacy profession will determine their level of responsibility and salary range.
The demand for pharmacists, technologists and assistants is increasing. The future looks bright for pharmacy jobs and pharmacist jobs.
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Category: Career
Keywords: pharmacist jobs, pharmacy jobs, jobs pharmacist, jobs pharmacy, pharmacy career, pharmacist career