Career as Pharmacists
Pharmacists are considered as one of the most visible and the most accessible health care professionals in the world. Pharmacy is one of the fastest growing areas of healthcare where pharmacists are the country’s main experts in medicines. While the majority of pharmacists work in community pharmacies, there is an unprecedented demand for pharmacists in a wide variety of occupational settings.
Pharmacists share a common commitment to improving people’s lives through medicines and care and making a real contribution to the nation’s health. Career opportunities are developing fast and pharmacists today can be found in many different settings including high street pharmacies, hospital wards, GPs’ surgeries, walk-in centres, industry and universities.
A career in pharmacy offers you with many opportunities to work in a desired environment, builds interest in science, the opportunity to join the NHS healthcare team, work in specialist fields such as the pharmaceutical industry, education and medical writing.
The major of work of pharmacists is to communicate directly with physicians to deliver medications. They advise medical and nursing staff on the selection and appropriate use of medicines. They provide information to patients on how to manage their medicines to ensure optimal treatment. Pharmacists are able to undertake additional training in order to allow them to prescribe medicines for specific conditions.
Pharmacist can provide specialized services according to the specific area they are specialized. Some pharmacists specialize in psychiatric disorders, intravenous nutrition support, oncology, nuclear pharmacy, and pharmacotherapy.
To seek career as pharmacists they must have excellent communication skills as they engage in marketing and production units of industries. Pharmacists should have effective management skills. For the pharmacists in the retail sector, need to have additional skills in merchandising, selling and financial management are required.
Pharmacists have an in-depth knowledge of the chemistry of various drugs and how they react in humans, and also how drugs interact with each other. Pharmacists must accurately measure and package medicine, ensuring its dosage and safety to be administered properly to a patient
To work as a pharmacist one must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, known as a Pharm.D. A candidate must complete their 10+2 in physics, chemistry and biology. There are many colleges of pharmacy that offer courses in pharmacy practice, that are designed to teach students to dispense prescriptions, communicate with patients and other health professionals, and to strengthen their understanding of professional ethics and practice management responsibilities.
The Pharmacists training emphasizes on direct patient care, as well as consultative services to other health professionals.
As the demand for pharmacists is strong and pay is high for this medical career. Therefore pharmacists enjoy job security and stability, and availability of jobs in just about any location nationwide. Once licensed, pharmacists can choose from a variety of work settings and types of pharmacist jobs, including retail pharmacies, hospitals, corporations, long-term care facilities and more.
Pharmacists working in independent pharmacies may become owners or part-owners after they gain experience and secure the necessary capital.