Pharmacist


 * Pharmacist Information:**



Pharmacists dispense prescription drugs to patients. They provide information about those drugs and help patients understand the instructions their doctors or other health practitioners provided. They monitor their patients' health and progress to make sure their medications are working effectively and safely.
 * __Job Description:__**

Pharmacists need the following characteristics: They should enjoy tasks requiring precision and organized methods, synthesizing information and solving problems, and directing and instructing pharmacy staff.
 * __Personality Characteristics:__**
 * a genuine interest in providing clinical care for people from all walks of life
 * good communication skills
 * tact and good judgement
 * precise work habits and the ability to work under pressure
 * a high degree of integrity
 * a desire to keep up to date with new ideas and advances in the pharmaceutical sciences
 * the ability to work independently, make decisions and solve problems.

Pharmacists may work alone or with other pharmacists, physicians, nurses, pharmacy technicians or pharmacy assistants. Those working in community and hospital settings often work rotating shifts that include evenings and holidays. In some settings, pharmacists may be required to stand for significant periods of time.
 * __Working Conditions:__**

__**Places of Employment:**__ Pharmacists held about 243,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in community pharmacies that were either independently owned or part of a drugstore chain, grocery store, department store, or mass merchandiser. Most community pharmacists were salaried employees, but some were self-employed owners. About 23 percent of pharmacists worked in hospitals. A small proportion worked in mail-order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of physicians, and the Federal Government.



__**Job Outlook:**__ Employment is expected to increase much faster than the average through 2016. As a result of rapid growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, job prospects should be excellent. __Employment change.__ Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The increasing numbers of middle-aged and elderly people—who use more prescription drugs than younger people—will continue to spur demand for pharmacists throughout the projection period. Other factors likely to increase the demand for pharmacists include scientific advances that will make more drug products available and the coverage of prescription drugs by a greater number of health insurance plans and Medicare. As the use of prescription drugs increases, demand for pharmacists will grow in most practice settings, such as community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and mail-order pharmacies. As the population ages, assisted living facilities and home care organizations should see particularly rapid growth. Demand will also increase as cost conscious insurers, in an attempt to improve preventative care, use pharmacists in areas such as patient education and vaccination administration. Demand is also increasing in managed care organizations where pharmacists analyze trends and patterns in medication use, and in pharmacoeconomics—the cost and benefit analysis of different drug therapies. New jobs also are being created in disease management—the development of new methods for curing and controlling diseases—and in sales and marketing. Rapid growth is also expected in pharmacy informatics—the use of information technology to improve patient care. __Job prospects.__ Excellent opportunities are expected for pharmacists over the 2006 to 2016 period. Job openings will result from rapid employment growth, and from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons. Median annual of wage-and-salary pharmacists in May 2006 were $94,520. The middle 50 percent earned between $83,180 and $108,140 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $67,860, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $119,480 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of pharmacists in May 2006 were:
 * __Salary Information:__**
 * Department stores ||  || $99,050 ||


 * Grocery stores ||  || $95,600 ||


 * Pharmacies and drug stores ||  || $94,640 ||


 * General medical and surgical hospitals ||  || $93,640 ||

According to a 2006 survey by //Drug Topics Magazine//, pharmacists in retail settings earned an average of $92,291 per year, while pharmacists in institutional settings earned an average of $97,545. Full-time pharmacists earned an average of $102,336, while part-time pharmacists earned an average of $55,589.



To become a pharmacist, one has to obtain a four-year Bachelor in Science in Pharmacy. Some colleges require students to complete a two-year pre-pharmacy program after high school taking courses in subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics and English. Most colleges require prospective student to take the pharmacy college admissions test (PCAT), //www.pcatweb.info//, before being admitted to the program. Courses for a degree in pharmacy may include:
 * __Education and Training:__**
 * Anatomy
 * Physiology
 * Pharmaceutical Care
 * Microbiology
 * Biochemistry
 * Pharmacology
 * Toxicology
 * Pharmaceutics
 * Chemistry (Physical, Organic)
 * Statistics
 * Medicinal chemistry
 * Communications
 * Pharmacy management
 * Pharmacy law
 * Health Systems in Society
 * Quality assurance
 * Pharmacotherapy

__**Citations:**__
 * 1) __EasyBib: Free Bibliography Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago citation styles__. 29 Apr. 2009 [|http://www.easybib.com].
 * 2) "OCCinfo - Pharmacist." __ALIS - Home__. 31 Mar. 2009 [].
 * 3) "Pharmacist - Career Information." __Career Planning - Career Planning Guide__. 29 Apr. 2009 [].
 * 4) "Pharmacist: Educational Requirements and Career Summary -- Education-Portal.com." __Directory of Colleges, Universities, Career Schools and Online Degree Programs -- Education-Portal.com__. 29 Apr. 2009 [].
 * 5) "Pharmacists." __U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics__. 31 Mar. 2009 .