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What's it like being a phramacist?

#doctor #drug-stores

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Doc’s Answer

Jessica retail pharmacists and hospital pharmacists are both involved in providing medication to patients. Their scope of duties differs, however, and clinical pharmacists are required to complete additional training. They also tend to earn a higher salary than hospital pharmacists.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RETAIL PHARMACIST VS. HOSPITAL PHARMACIST

Retail and hospital pharmacists are both qualified to prepare medications for patients. They are required to know how different medications interact so that they can determine if a prescribed medication may result in harmful side effects for the patient. Retail pharmacists spend more time interacting with patients and medical professionals. They may see patients with doctors and participate in assessing the patient and help determine what medications to prescribe. Hospital pharmacists may consult with physicians and other medical professionals, but spend more of their time in the pharmacy preparing medications for patients.

RETAIL PHARMACIST JOB DESCRIPTION – Retail pharmacists receive orders for medication, dispense prescriptions and advise patients on the proper use of medication. Retail pharmacists are responsible for measuring and providing the proper dosages and types of medicine to patients according to their prescriptions. The American Pharmacists' Association estimates that retail pharmacists spend about five percent of their time stocking shelves, ordering supplies and completing other office management tasks. Retail pharmacists work with the general public, and they must have good customer service skills. In order to properly assess drug effects and interactions, retail pharmacists are analytical and scientific in their thinking. The confidential nature of retail pharmacy requires discretion and respect for patients' privacy.

RETAIL PHARMACIST EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Retail pharmacists have completed at least two to three years of college coursework in biology, chemistry and related topics before entering Pharm.D. degree programs. Retail pharmacists have then earned licenses and Pharm.D. degrees through accredited programs. Some retail pharmacists have master's or doctoral degrees in specific fields of pharmacy, such as pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry or pharmacy administration. All retail pharmacists are licensed, requiring passing a series of exams after finishing their educations.

RETAIL PHARMACIST CAREER AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK – Job growth for pharmacists is expected to be slower than average at 6% for the 2018-2028 decade, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pharmacy graduates should expect to face competition for job positions. The average Pharmacist - Retail salary in the United States is $147,500 as of July 27, 2020, but the range typically falls between $140,500 and $154,500. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.

HOSPITAL PHARMACIST JOB DESCRIPTION – Unlike pharmacists in retail settings, hospital pharmacists don't typically spend the majority of their workday filling prescriptions. Instead, these professionals assist in direct patient care in hospital settings. This might include making rounds with health care practitioners; conducting minor medical tests, like glucose tests and cholesterol screenings; and giving patients advice about medications and healthy lifestyle choices. They also might recommend particular drugs and intravenous admixtures, including dosage amount, and ensure that those medications are given at the right time each day. Additionally, hospital pharmacists might oversee the work of pharmacy technicians and interns, evaluate patients' drug use and report any adverse reactions that patients have to medications.

HOSPITAL PHARMACIST EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Prospective hospital pharmacists must graduate from an accredited Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program, which typically takes four years to complete. In addition to coursework, students in these postgraduate programs complete internships to gain practical experience in pharmacy settings. After graduating from pharmacy school and completing a set number of internship hours, prospective hospital pharmacists must earn state licensure. This involves passage of two exams: the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) or a similar state-mandated law test. In certain states, pharmacists also must be certified if they administer immunizations and vaccinations.

RETAIL PHARMACIST CAREER AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK – The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected that pharmacists in general would experience no growth in employment between 2018 and 2028. The BLS also noted that pharmacists in hospitals and other healthcare settings were expected to see increased demand because of a need to oversee patients' medications and perform some medical tasks, like tests for blood sugar and cholesterol. The average Pharmacist - Hospital salary in the United States is $141,900 as of July 27, 2020, but the range typically falls between $110,500 and $189,900. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.

Jessica it takes approximately 6 years of post-high school education to become a pharmacist, including two years of prerequisite courses and four years to complete a Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. The sections below detail each of these steps.

Hope this was Helpful Jessica
Thank you comment icon Thank you Dexter for your continued support. Never give up on your dreams and your dreams will never give up on you. Doc Frick
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Tia’s Answer

I have been a pharmacist for 15 years and I truly love my profession. After graduation, I started my career in hospital pharmacy where I performed various duties such as antibiotic and anticoagulation dosing in adult patients (inpatient and outpatient clinic setting), verified medication orders, and help nurses/physicians with specific dosing issues. I truly enjoyed working with patients!! After my hospital career, I worked for a managed care company (health care/insurance plans) and some of my duties include working with the team who determines which drugs go on the formulary (your prescription drug list through your health insurance plan; its actually a lengthy process). Though I do not work directly with patients anymore, I helped our members by making sure they can get their medications and understand their drug list. Other pharmacy careers include retail setting (Walgreens, CVS), drug industry (pharmacists can serve as medical science liasions and work with industry on explaining their drug products to physicians and other clinicians), academia (work directly for the pharmacy school teaching pharmacy students), and research setting too. There are various avenues in the pharmacy setting. Hope this helps!
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Karina’s Answer

It depends on where you practice, but you can look into a role of a Medical Science Liaison (MSL).

Pharmacists may find a career as an MSL challenging and rewarding. MSLs are biomedical professionals who are responsible for scientific management of multiple aspects of a product, such as a drug, diagnostic test, or medical device, before and after launch. MSLs generally work within a medical affairs department of a company and have an integral role in the success of a product.
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