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Pharmacists have very high growth job, career,
employment and income opportunities in the United
States.
To work as a pharmacist in the United States, you
need a license to practice. All prospective
pharmacists must graduate from an accredited college
of pharmacy and pass a State licensure examination.
Pharmacists distribute drugs prescribed by
physicians and other health practitioners and
provide information to patients about medications
and their use.
Pharmacists advise physicians and other
health practitioners on the selection, dosages,
interactions, and side effects of medications.
Pharmacists also monitor the health and progress
of patients in response to drug therapy to ensure
the safe and effective use of medication.
Pharmacists must understand the use, clinical
effects, and composition of drugs, including their
chemical, biological, and physical properties.
Compounding—the actual mixing of ingredients to form
powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and
solutions—is a small part of a pharmacist’s
practice, because most medicines are produced by
pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and
drug delivery form. Most pharmacists work in a
community setting, such as a retail drugstore, or in
a health care facility, such as a hospital, nursing
home, mental health institution, or neighborhood
health clinic.
Pharmacists in community and retail pharmacies
counsel patients and answer questions about
prescription drugs, including questions regarding
possible side effects or interactions among various
drugs. They provide information about
over-the-counter drugs and make recommendations
after talking with the patient. They also may give
advice about the patient’s diet, exercise, or stress
management or about durable medical equipment and
home health care supplies. In addition, they also
may complete third-party insurance forms and other
paperwork. Those who own or manage community
pharmacies may sell non-health-related merchandise,
hire and supervise personnel, and oversee the
general operation of the pharmacy. Some community
pharmacists provide specialized services to help
patients manage conditions such as diabetes, asthma,
smoking cessation, or high blood pressure. Some
community pharmacists also are trained to administer
vaccinations.
Pharmacists in health care facilities dispense
medications and advise the medical staff on the
selection and effects of drugs. They may make
sterile solutions to be administered intravenously.
They also assess, plan, and monitor drug programs or
regimens. Pharmacists counsel hospitalized patients
on the use of drugs and on their use at home when
the patients are discharged. Pharmacists also may
evaluate drug-use patterns and outcomes for patients
in hospitals or managed care organizations.
Pharmacists who work in home health care monitor
drug therapy and prepare infusions—solutions that
are injected into patients—and other medications for
use in the home.
Some pharmacists specialize in specific drug
therapy areas, such as intravenous nutrition
support, oncology (cancer), nuclear pharmacy (used
for chemotherapy), geriatric pharmacy, and
psychopharmacotherapy (the treatment of mental
disorders by means of drugs).
Most pharmacists keep confidential computerized
records of patients’ drug therapies to prevent
harmful drug interactions. Pharmacists are
responsible for the accuracy of every prescription
that is filled, but they often rely upon pharmacy
technicians and pharmacy aides to assist them in the
dispensing process. Thus, the pharmacist may
delegate prescription-filling and administrative
tasks and supervise their completion. Pharmacists
also frequently oversee pharmacy students serving as
interns in preparation for graduation and licensure.
Increasingly, pharmacists are pursuing
nontraditional pharmacy work. Some are involved in
research for pharmaceutical manufacturers,
developing new drugs and therapies and testing their
effects on people. Others work in marketing or
sales, providing expertise to clients on a drug’s
use, effectiveness, and possible side effects. Some
pharmacists work for health insurance companies,
developing pharmacy benefit packages and carrying
out cost-benefit analyses on certain drugs. Other
pharmacists work for the government, public health
care services, the armed services, and pharmacy
associations. Finally, some pharmacists are employed
full time or part time as college faculty, teaching
classes and performing research in a wide range of
areas.
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