Pharmacy Schools and Careers

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Pharmacists - Career Information

Pharmacists picture Pharmacists image

Pharmacists

Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by doctors and they also provide information to customers regarding side effects and the usage of drugs. They have knowledge about the laws that regulate the manufacturing and sales of drugs. A pharmacist also has knowledge about the composition of medicines and how drugs interact with each other.

Most pharmacists work in community pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians often assist pharmacists with dispensing medications. Some pharmacists focus on dispensing drugs, whereas others oversee an entire store.

Some pharmacists specialize in particular drug therapy areas including oncology, geriatric pharmacy and nuclear pharmacy. A number of pharmacists are involved in research for pharmaceutical manufacturers, whereas others work in marketing and sales.

Some sample job titles are staff pharmacist, registered pharmacist, clinical pharmacist and hospital pharmacist.

Responsibilities

Review prescriptions to make sure they are accurate
Order, inspect, store and dispense drugs
Provide information about side effects of drugs to their customers
Accurately measure and pack medicines
Educate customers on how to take medications
Assess the identity, purity and strength of medications
Plan, implement and maintain procedures for mixing, packaging and labeling pharmaceuticals according to legal requirements and policy
Provide advice to customers on choosing medication brands and healthcare supplies
Consult with other healthcare professionals in order to plan, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of drugs and drug regimens
Maintain records of the drugs

Job Characteristics

Pharmacists work in clean and well-ventilated settings. Many pharmacists stand for a large portion of their working day. Most pharmacists work 40 hour per work. Some pharmacists work part-time. They may work at night and during the weekends and holidays. Consultant pharmacists may travel to healthcare facilities in order to monitor patients' drug therapies. In addition, a pharmacist should have good interpersonal skills and scientific aptitude. They also need to be detailed oriented.

Employment Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 17 percent employment growth for pharmacists from 2008 to 2018 which is faster than the average for all occupations. The growing number of middle-aged and senior citizens will increase the demand for pharmacists.

In 2008 the median annual earnings of wage and salary pharmacists was $106,410. The highest paid 10 percent earned more than $131,440.

Pharmacists working for chain drugstores may move up to pharmacy supervisor or store manager positions. Those working in hospitals may advance into supervisor or administrative positions. Some pharmacists become owners or part-owners of independent pharmacies.

Education, Certification, and Licensing

Pharmacists are required to have a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited college or school of pharmacy. In order for applicants to be eligible for a Pharm.D. program they must have completed at least two years of specific professional study. This requirement usually includes courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, social sciences and the humanities. Pharm.D. programs typically take four years to finish. In addition to classroom learning, students spend time working with licensed pharmacists in a variety of practice settings.

Although not specifically required, most candidates have completed three or more years at a college or university before entering a Pharm.D program. Some Pharm.D. graduates receive additional training via a one or two year residency program or a fellowship. Residency programs are often required for pharmacists that want to work in a clinical setting. Pharmacy fellowships are designed to prepare individuals for working in a specialized area of pharmacy such as research or clinical practice.

Every state requires a license to practice pharmacy. Typically, to acquire a license, a candidate must earn a Pharm.D. degree from a college of pharmacy that has been approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. They must also pass a series of examinations.

All states require a candidate to take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam. The majority of states also require candidates to take the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam which focuses on pharmacy law. The states that do not require candidates to take the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam have their own pharmacy law exam.

Every jurisdiction requires candidates to have gained a specified number of hours of experience in a practice setting before they can obtain a license. In addition, every state allows licensure for graduates of foreign pharmacy schools.

Resources

Major Employers

The primary employers are community pharmacies, hospitals, nursing home pharmacies and the pharmaceutical industry.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Pharmacists by major metro area.

The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for Pharmacists, along with salary data by industry.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.

Metro Area	Jobs	Salary (2008)	Relative Popularity
ALABAMA
Dothan	230	$106,030	2.2
Auburn	140	$87,420	1.8
Gadsden	90	$127,520	1.6
Decatur	140	$97,130	1.5
Tuscaloosa	210	$107,150	1.3
Birmingham	1,300	$99,150	1.3
Montgomery	370	$107,710	1.1
Anniston	90	$114,610	1.1
Mobile	340	$120,970	1
Huntsville	310	$109,800	0.8
ALASKA
Fairbanks	60	$111,740	1.1
Anchorage	240	$111,430	0.8
ARIZONA
Kingman	110	$111,390	1.2
Prescott	130	$99,280	1.2
Tucson	730	$99,040	1
Phoenix	3,470	$104,240	0.9
Yuma	90	$113,480	0.8
Flagstaff	70	$110,370	0.7
ARKANSAS
Hot Springs	110	$85,680	1.8
Jonesboro	130	$98,660	1.5
Pine Bluff	80	$81,330	1.5
Little Rock	950	$92,110	1.4
Fort Smith	220	$99,090	1
Fayetteville	360	$97,920	1
CALIFORNIA
Fresno	990	$122,510	1.5
Hanford	70	$120,120	1.5
Madera	80	$119,060	1.3
Vallejo	260	$110,850	1.1
Stockton	460	$112,370	1.1
Yuba City	70	$126,740	1.1
Modesto	330	$136,020	1.1
Santa Cruz	160	$126,170	1
Chico	120	$124,510	1
San Luis Obispo	170	$115,620	0.9
San Jose	1,600	$116,300	0.9
Redding	100	$100,730	0.9
Oakland	1,700	$116,980	0.8
San Diego	2,200	$118,190	0.8
Riverside	2,040	$116,210	0.8
Napa	90	$111,100	0.8
Santa Ana	2,310	$114,810	0.8
Salinas	220	$117,970	0.8
San Francisco	1,480	$118,790	0.7
Sacramento	1,270	$119,830	0.7
Bakersfield	350	$120,960	0.7
Santa Rosa	230	$118,930	0.7
Santa Barbara	190	$135,770	0.6
Merced	50	$120,990	0.5
El Centro	40	$140,800	0.5
Visalia	90	$121,650	0.4
COLORADO
Pueblo	140	$102,390	1.5
Colorado Springs	500	$105,370	1
Denver	2,500	$106,400	1
Fort Collins	220	$110,100	1
Boulder	290	$108,750	1
Grand Junction	90	$108,520	0.9
Greeley	110	$116,850	0.8
CONNECTICUT
Waterbury	190	$97,870	1.6
Danbury	120	$111,190	0.9
Hartford	1,020	$110,400	0.9
Norwich	200	$101,930	0.9
New Haven	400	$106,240	0.7
Bridgeport	580	$111,000	0.7
DELAWARE
Dover	100	$95,610	1.1
Wilmington	630	$104,040	1
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington	2,870	$102,980	0.6
FLORIDA
Punta Gorda	150	$104,960	2.3
Gainesville	410	$93,670	1.9
Panama City	190	$111,880	1.6
Tampa	3,220	$101,300	1.3
Sebastian	110	$105,120	1.3
Port St. Lucie	300	$114,720	1.3
Lakeland	470	$107,740	1.3
Deltona	360	$101,170	1.2
Cape Coral	490	$109,110	1.2
Ocala	210	$103,550	1.2
Tallahassee	360	$100,500	1.2
Fort Lauderdale	1,690	$105,030	1.2
Pensacola	320	$106,580	1.1
Miami	2,190	$105,100	1.1
Jacksonville	1,240	$100,130	1
Naples	230	$112,500	1
Palm Bay	380	$105,330	1
Sarasota	470	$101,550	0.9
Orlando	1,790	$104,450	0.9
Fort Walton Beach	110	$104,850	0.8
GEORGIA
Rome	110	$106,600	1.8
Athens	220	$97,960	1.6
Macon	280	$112,960	1.5
Columbus	300	$104,970	1.5
Augusta	570	$109,630	1.5
Albany	150	$102,900	1.4
Warner Robins	120	$103,510	1.4
Brunswick	80	$97,630	1.1
Valdosta	100	$96,810	1
Atlanta	4,390	$100,200	0.9
Savannah	260	$99,500	0.9
Gainesville	110	$104,820	0.9
Dalton	90	$98,450	0.7
HAWAII
Honolulu	810	$101,960	0.9
IDAHO
Boise	850	$111,440	1.6
Lewiston	50	$101,640	1.4
Idaho Falls	100	$92,750	1.2
Pocatello	60	$92,070	1.2
Coeur d'Alene	100	$96,140	1.1
ILLINOIS
Kankakee	90	$104,030	1.4
Peoria	440	$107,450	1.4
Decatur	100	$111,910	1.2
Danville	50	$105,140	1.2
Springfield	210	$107,880	1.1
Champaign	180	$118,920	1.1
Rockford	240	$111,290	0.8
Chicago	6,330	$99,370	0.8
Bloomington	70	$111,880	0.6
INDIANA
Anderson	130	$99,420	1.9
Kokomo	100	$100,020	1.7
Fort Wayne	560	$104,030	1.4
Gary	720	$98,120	1.3
Muncie	100	$98,870	1.3
Bloomington	150	$100,830	1.2
Indianapolis	2,000	$96,460	1.1
Lafayette	150	$97,240	1.1
Columbus	70	$98,600	1
Terre Haute	120	$104,240	1
Evansville	290	$100,360	0.9
Michigan City	60	$100,310	0.8
Elkhart	110	$102,850	0.5
IOWA
Iowa City	310	$86,990	2.4
Cedar Rapids	440	$93,880	1.7
Dubuque	120	$89,110	1.4
Ames	80	$87,020	1.3
Des Moines	750	$82,780	1.2
Waterloo	150	$93,740	1
Sioux City	120	$97,000	0.9
Davenport	310	$103,460	0.9
KANSAS
Lawrence	110	$94,570	1.4
Topeka	280	$91,880	1.4
Wichita	560	$105,140	0.9
KENTUCKY
Lexington	770	$95,520	1.6
Owensboro	90	$101,120	1.1
Bowling Green	100	$103,580	1
Elizabethtown	70	$113,870	0.9
Louisville	1,150	$111,640	0.9
LOUISIANA
Alexandria	220	$93,170	2.1
Monroe	190	$94,160	1.4
Shreveport	420	$98,630	1.3
Lake Charles	190	$99,980	1.2
Lafayette	320	$101,380	1.2
New Orleans	1,130	$101,510	1.1
Baton Rouge	670	$100,030	0.9
Houma	160	$97,230	0.9
MAINE
Lewiston	110	$111,050	1.3
Bangor	120	$114,880	1.1
Portland	360	$109,220	0.9
MARYLAND
Cumberland	120	$99,520	2
Salisbury	100	$108,990	1.1
Hagerstown	190	$102,970	1
Baltimore	2,560	$101,720	1
Bethesda	1,020	$98,240	0.9
MASSACHUSETTS
Brockton	250	$101,830	1.5
Leominster	120	$112,030	1.4
Lowell	250	$100,060	1.1
Lawrence	100	$116,250	1
Boston	3,310	$90,940	1
Worcester	460	$99,770	1
Haverhill	130	$112,080	0.9
Taunton	70	$107,430	0.9
New Bedford	100	$103,990	0.9
Barnstable	150	$108,310	0.8
Springfield	420	$93,860	0.7
Framingham	190	$91,350	0.6
MICHIGAN
Bay City	100	$103,130	1.7
Muskegon	170	$94,240	1.6
Saginaw	210	$93,920	1.5
Flint	380	$102,480	1.5
Battle Creek	120	$110,590	1.4
Ann Arbor	410	$95,760	1.3
Jackson	110	$102,470	1.2
Detroit	1,680	$99,550	1.2
Kalamazoo	270	$103,340	1.1
Niles	110	$105,170	1
Grand Rapids	740	$100,460	1
Warren	2,250	$102,890	1
Lansing	330	$103,610	0.9
Monroe	50	$103,620	0.8
Holland	140	$91,960	0.8
MINNESOTA
Rochester	370	$112,480	2.2
St. Cloud	240	$116,330	1.3
Duluth	260	$101,660	1.1
Minneapolis	3,670	$110,020	1
MISSISSIPPI
Hattiesburg	150	$106,680	1.5
Pascagoula	100	$104,930	1.2
Jackson	540	$94,880	1.1
Gulfport	190	$105,620	0.9
MISSOURI
Springfield	550	$103,970	1.5
St. Louis	3,040	$100,610	1.1
Joplin	160	$110,900	1.1
Columbia	150	$100,310	1
Kansas City	2,050	$103,330	1
St. Joseph	70	$110,980	0.8
Jefferson City	80	$106,020	0.7
MONTANA
Great Falls	120	$87,740	2.1
Missoula	150	$90,540	1.7
Billings	200	$97,230	1.4
NEBRASKA
Omaha	1,140	$88,320	1.3
Lincoln	290	$97,570	0.9
NEVADA
Carson City	70	$111,780	1.6
Las Vegas	1,730	$102,900	0.9
Reno	350	$105,050	0.9
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Manchester	200	$106,300	1
Portsmouth	80		0.8
Rochester	70	$122,460	0.7
NEW JERSEY
Camden	1,390	$105,410	1.3
Ocean City	90	$115,680	1.3
Vineland	120	$103,780	1.2
Newark	2,130	$98,410	1.1
Edison	2,170	$103,800	1.1
Atlantic City	290	$103,190	1
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque	1,120	$98,680	1.5
Santa Fe	120	$106,180	1.1
Las Cruces	110	$100,380	1
Farmington	50	$128,550	0.6
NEW YORK
Binghamton	260	$93,480	1.3
Glens Falls	120	$110,270	1.3
Utica	300	$107,070	1.3
Buffalo	1,290	$100,020	1.2
Elmira	70	$108,150	1.2
Nassau	2,690	$107,190	1.1
Kingston	110	$102,870	1.1
Albany	890	$93,760	1
Syracuse	600	$103,350	1
Poughkeepsie	440	$112,010	1
Rochester	840	$111,970	0.9
New York	8,700	$103,190	0.9
Ithaca	60	$109,400	0.8
NORTH CAROLINA
Greenville	190	$112,560	1.5
Winston-Salem	590	$109,470	1.4
Durham	720	$103,000	1.4
Jacksonville	80	$108,600	1.2
Goldsboro	70	$109,250	1.1
Hickory	320	$110,470	1
Fayetteville	230	$104,380	1
Asheville	340	$99,500	1
Burlington	100	$104,000	1
Charlotte	1,640	$105,050	0.9
Raleigh	910	$105,160	0.9
Wilmington	240	$110,990	0.9
Greensboro	590	$109,750	0.8
Rocky Mount	80	$102,080	0.8
NORTH DAKOTA
Fargo	450	$90,010	2.1
Bismarck	110	$90,130	1.1
Grand Forks	90	$91,910	1.1
OHIO
Lima	140	$91,470	1.6
Toledo	900	$79,430	1.5
Columbus	2,630	$92,590	1.4
Springfield	110	$106,390	1.4
Cincinnati	2,220	$103,070	1.1
Youngstown	460	$99,420	1
Cleveland	2,130	$107,760	1
Mansfield	90	$101,400	1
Canton	330	$102,760	1
Dayton	700	$104,000	0.9
Sandusky	50	$105,040	0.9
Akron	560	$104,630	0.9
OKLAHOMA
Lawton	90	$93,990	1.5
Oklahoma City	1,320	$97,480	1.2
Tulsa	740	$96,780	0.9
OREGON
Corvallis	90	$104,720	1.8
Eugene	320	$101,790	1.1
Medford	160	$111,790	1.1
Portland	1,970	$105,660	1
Bend	110	$116,610	0.9
Salem	230	$104,470	0.8
PENNSYLVANIA
Lebanon	110	$90,670	1.4
Johnstown	130	$102,830	1.3
Pittsburgh	2,810	$92,340	1.2
Altoona	120	$93,240	1.2
Philadelphia	4,210	$92,740	1.1
Scranton	540	$88,450	1.1
State College	100	$88,390	1
Allentown	630	$100,320	1
Harrisburg	510	$94,900	0.8
Williamsport	70	$88,590	0.8
Erie	180	$89,640	0.8
Reading	230	$100,550	0.7
Lancaster	310	$95,810	0.7
York	220	$93,900	0.6
RHODE ISLAND
Providence	1,330	$94,540	1.2
SOUTH CAROLINA
Florence	250	$107,970	1.7
Anderson	170	$105,910	1.6
Sumter	90	$92,240	1.6
Charleston	840	$100,820	1.5
Columbia	860	$101,690	1.3
Greenville	680	$106,220	1.1
Spartanburg	240	$105,100	1.1
Myrtle Beach	220	$84,680	1
SOUTH DAKOTA
Sioux Falls	500	$90,420	1.9
Rapid City	190	$100,840	1.7
TENNESSEE
Jackson	190	$104,690	1.9
Johnson City	220	$97,650	1.7
Memphis	1,950	$110,260	1.6
Kingsport	330	$111,910	1.6
Clarksville	170	$107,240	1.3
Morristown	100	$118,620	1.3
Knoxville	810	$102,650	1.2
Cleveland	70	$122,980	1.2
Chattanooga	490	$117,180	1.1
TEXAS
Abilene	180	$111,820	1.7
Amarillo	280	$102,620	1.5
Lubbock	270	$111,890	1.2
Wichita Falls	120	$106,060	1.2
San Antonio	1,960	$108,620	1.2
Texarkana	110	$104,750	1.2
Fort Worth	1,990	$121,230	1.2
McAllen	480	$120,400	1.1
Killeen	250	$106,050	1.1
Tyler	180	$110,930	1.1
Beaumont	320	$116,840	1.1
Sherman	70	$102,830	1.1
San Angelo	70	$110,990	1
Houston	5,210	$102,530	1
Corpus Christi	310	$105,560	0.9
Brownsville	210	$112,200	0.9
Austin	1,330	$106,690	0.9
Dallas	3,630	$111,350	0.9
Waco	150	$114,460	0.9
El Paso	420	$105,350	0.8
Victoria	60	$113,740	0.8
Laredo	110	$120,130	0.7
College Station	100	$114,120	0.7
Odessa	70	$110,810	0.7
Midland	80	$107,690	0.7
Longview	100	$114,980	0.6
UTAH
St. George	120	$101,370	1.4
Ogden	350	$108,570	0.9
Salt Lake City	1,080	$97,110	0.9
Provo	270	$103,870	0.9
Logan	60	$97,680	0.8
VERMONT
Burlington	200	$103,880	1
VIRGINIA
Blacksburg	160	$106,700	1.5
Harrisonburg	120	$107,040	1.3
Winchester	110	$106,110	1.2
Roanoke	350	$112,440	1.2
Charlottesville	170	$99,320	1
Lynchburg	170	$106,900	0.9
Danville	50	$123,590	0.9
Virginia Beach	1,290	$105,570	0.9
WASHINGTON
Spokane	560	$99,700	1.4
Wenatchee	90	$106,680	1.3
Bellingham	190	$104,280	1.3
Mount Vernon	100	$118,820	1.3
Longview	70	$109,590	1.3
Bremerton	170	$105,600	1.1
Tacoma	540	$102,740	1
Kennewick	160	$104,240	1
Yakima	140	$97,170	1
Olympia	160	$100,670	0.9
Seattle	2,690	$103,030	0.9
WEST VIRGINIA
Morgantown	130	$99,200	1.6
Huntington	340	$111,100	1.6
Weirton	110	$105,660	1.6
Charleston	350	$109,600	1.3
Wheeling	130	$99,560	1.2
Parkersburg	120	$105,950	1
WISCONSIN
Eau Claire	200	$112,380	1.5
La Crosse	170	$109,220	1.4
Madison	800	$102,480	1.2
Sheboygan	100	$114,740	1
Fond du Lac	70	$110,620	0.9
Racine	130	$109,330	0.9
Janesville	100	$111,350	0.9
Oshkosh	130	$113,250	0.9
Green Bay	270	$114,410	0.9
Milwaukee	1,430	$110,670	0.9
Appleton	170	$106,380	0.8
Wausau	80	$110,620	0.7
WYOMING
Cheyenne	110	$97,210	1.5
Casper	90	$96,760	1.4

Industry	Jobs	Percent	Salary (2008)
Hospital	58,670	40%	$104,850
Department And General Stores	29,240	20%	$112,460
Grocery Stores	21,690	15%	$107,420
Government	8,390	5%	$99,680
Medical Office	6,690	4%	$105,520
Office Services And Staffing	5,220	3%	$108,340
Non-Store Retailers	4,320	2%	$102,490
Non-Durable Goods Wholesale	3,160	2%	$102,280
Business Management	1,610	1%	$111,450

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Pharmacists - Career Information

Metro Areas Rated for Popularity (as of 2008) for:Pharmacists

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

DELAWARE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

HAWAII

IDAHO

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

IOWA

KANSAS

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LOUISIANA

MAINE

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

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MISSISSIPPI

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH DAKOTA

OHIO

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

VERMONT

VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

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Most Popular Industries (as of 2008) for:Pharmacists

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Metro Areas Rated for Popularity (as of 2008) for:
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