Pharmacists are the ones prescribing medicines to patients and assisting doctors on dispensing medicines to individual patients.
Duties of Pharmacists:
- storing and formulating medicines
- gives the rightful amount of dosage based on doctor’s prescription
- providing and recommending alternative medicines to patients
- recommends patients to medical specialists for further examination
- gives out information about the proper use of medicines
- informs patients about the after-effects of taking in certain medicines
- supervises therapies of other patients
Educational/Training Requirements of Pharmacists:
- Must pass the PCAT( Pharmacy College Admission Test)
- Must taken advanced math, science and social sciences subjects
- Complete a four year course on pharmaceutical education
- Must be licensed by their states
Other Skills Needed:
Since pharmacists are the ones that dispense medicines, they must have that presence of mind in what they are doing. The correct dosage, when it needs to be taken and effects of a certain drug are commonly asked for by patients to pharmacists. For this reason, sharp memories would be a major requirement; they have to be aware of all the details concerning a specific drug. Also, they must possess good communication skills, for the reason that in almost all transactions they do the art of communicating. It is important that a pharmacist well understands customer needs and provides the medicine or service the customer is supposed to buy.
Work environment:
Pharmacists are practicing their professions on drugstores, clinics, hospitals as well as on medical laboratories. Seeing that pharmacists deal with substances that are sensitive and may be reactive on the environment, working places for pharmacists should always be clean and lighted.
Advancement:
Pharmacists that are degree holders have greater chances of being employed on larger hospitals and laboratories. However, pharmacists that have enough financial assets can a drugstore or pharmacy of his own.
Compensations Received:
Annually, pharmacists earn an income of $ 90 000 – $ 100 000. However, compensations given vary and do not jive with other states. In the United States, expected salaries for pharmacists would be $ 112 000, while on some states they prefer paying them with an hourly rate of $ 50 to $ 60.