Pharmacist Life Videos:

Here’s a brief list of what Pharmacists do:

  • Medication Dispensing: Dispensing prescription medications accurately and safely to patients based on physician orders and legal requirements.

  • Medication Counseling: Providing patient education on proper medication use, dosage instructions, potential side effects, and interactions with other medications or foods.

  • Medication Review: Conducting medication reviews to ensure appropriateness, effectiveness, and safety of prescribed therapies, and recommending adjustments as needed.

  • Patient Consultation: Counseling patients on over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements, and advising on health-related issues such as smoking cessation and immunizations.

  • Drug Information: Providing healthcare professionals with accurate drug information, including pharmacology, indications, contraindications, and dosage guidelines.

  • Compounding: Compounding medications for patients with unique needs, such as those requiring customized formulations or allergen-free medications.

  • Clinical Services: Participating in clinical services such as medication therapy management (MTM), chronic disease management, and health screenings to optimize patient outcomes.

  • Quality Assurance: Ensuring pharmacy operations comply with regulatory standards, maintaining medication storage conditions, and monitoring medication inventory.

Here’s how YOU can become one:

  1. Educational Preparation:

    • Bachelor’s Degree (Optional): While not always required, most pharmacy schools prefer applicants to have completed specific prerequisite coursework in undergraduate studies. Common prerequisites include biology, chemistry (including organic and inorganic chemistry), physics, mathematics (including calculus), and humanities or social sciences.

    • Prerequisite Courses: Complete the required prerequisite courses for pharmacy school admission. Each pharmacy school may have slightly different prerequisites, so check the specific requirements of the programs you are interested in.

  2. Earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Degree:

    • Pharmacy School Admission: Apply to accredited Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) programs. Admission to Pharm.D. programs is competitive and typically requires a strong academic record, satisfactory scores on the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), letters of recommendation, and possibly an interview.

    • Pharm.D. Program: Complete a Doctor of Pharmacy program, which usually takes 4 years to complete. Pharm.D. programs include coursework in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacotherapy, pharmacokinetics, therapeutics, pharmacy law, and ethics.

    • Experiential Education: Gain practical experience through internships and clinical rotations. Pharm.D. programs include supervised internships in various pharmacy practice settings, such as hospitals, community pharmacies, and healthcare facilities.

  3. Pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX):

    • Licensure Exam: After graduating from a Pharm.D. program, pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The NAPLEX assesses your knowledge and competency to practice pharmacy safely and effectively.

    • State-specific Exams: Some states may require you to pass additional state-specific exams, such as the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE), which tests your knowledge of pharmacy law and regulations specific to that state.

  4. Complete a Residency (Optional):

    • Post-Graduate Residency: Consider completing a post-graduate residency program in a specialized area of pharmacy practice, such as clinical pharmacy, ambulatory care, oncology, or pediatrics. Residency programs typically last 1-2 years and provide advanced training and clinical experience under the supervision of experienced pharmacists.

  5. Obtain State Licensure:

    • Apply for State Licensure: Apply for pharmacist licensure through your state board of pharmacy. Licensure requirements vary by state but generally include completing an accredited Pharm.D. program, passing the NAPLEX and MPJE exams (if required), and meeting continuing education requirements.

    • Maintain Licensure: Renew your pharmacist license periodically by completing continuing education credits as required by your state board of pharmacy.

      This is a very brief and general plan. To know your specific academic path for this career please talk to an advisor at the college or program you plan on attending!