Occupational Interest Manual: Pharmacist
By Erin Parry

Educational Requirements

There are many things one must consider when thinking about the possibility of becoming a pharmacist. One should consider both the steps involved in the process to achieving this goal as well as the responsibilities that come along with being a pharmacist. A good background in math and science is an important part of the study of pharmacy. Good written and communications skills are also important. Taking advanced high school science classes are helpful in preparation for pharmacy school. Biology, chemistry, and math are the most desirable courses.

The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) is required in all US jurisdictions except for California, which administers its own examination. NAPLEX is a computerized test that assesses the student�s ability to apply what they learned in pharmacy school to practice situations. The NAPLEX is a four-hour and fifteen-minute exam consisting of 185 multiple-choice questions. It is administered daily at Prometric Testing Centers throughout the United States. Most states require a drug law examination as a condition of licensure. The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) is administered in 39 US jurisdictions and is based on a nationally uniform content blueprint, with questions that are tailored to assess the pharmacy jurisprudence requirements of individual states. The MJPE is a two hour long computerized test consisting of 90 multiple-choice questions.

All state boards of pharmacy require their candidates to complete an internship or externship before licensure. This practice experience usually consists of 1500 hours of training that are gained during pharmacy school. The internship process is subject to state board of pharmacy regulations.

Age requirements vary by state. To be licensed, a pharmacist must have graduated from a school of pharmacy approved by the state board of pharmacy or accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE).

Places Where This Profession Can Be Exercised

The profession of a pharmacist is very flexible. One can work at community pharmacies, hospitals, managed care pharmacies, The Pharmaceutical Industry, an academic pharmacy, and many other places. Retail stores, such as Target and Wal-Mart, often have pharmacies. There are also places such as Eckerd�s and Walgreen�s.

Duties and Responsibilities

A pharmacist has many duties and responsibilities. They provide information to patients and the community, as well as medications and related services. They refer patients to others who might be able to help them, such as physicians, when it is necessary. Pharmacists are specialists in the sciences and medications. They have to be knowledgeable about all of the drugs, how to use them, and what they are used for. They must have an understanding of the effects that every drug has on the body to instruct patients on the use of these drugs. The principal goal of pharmaceutical care is to achieve positive outcomes from the use of medications, which in turn improves the patient�s health and well-being. This includes the curing of diseases, eliminating or reducing symptoms of diseases, slowing a disease process, preventing of disease, diagnosis of disease, and altering the physiological processes of diseases.

Personal Qualifications

Being a pharmacist demands judgment and dependability. A pharmacist must always be ready to perform, and willing to double-check their work. The decisions and actions of a pharmacist influence the lives and well-being of other human beings, so their choices are extremely important. The ethical standard of a pharmacist must be high, and they should use facts and good judgment when giving information to patients. A good education in sciences and math is important, as well as a willingness to learn.

Salary Information

The average starting base salary for a pharmacist is $59,000. The average base salary is $68,000. Pharmacists working at chains or supermarkets generally make $76,000 to $78,500.

Interview

Latasha Bright, currently employed at the pharmacy at Target Store #0669, has always wanted to be a pharmacist, ever since she was in elementary school. She was motivated to become a pharmacist because her mother worked in a lab, and that influenced her very much. She knew that she wanted to do something involving science, and where she could help people. One of the most positive things that she has experienced in her profession is truly being able to help people. �I have had patients come back to me and say that I have saved their lives. It�s unbelievable.� Latasha did two years of pre requisites, and spent four years at a pharmacy college. The courses were very difficult, especially the clinical courses, but they were all worth it, and it is definitely necessary in this profession. Her education was mainly math and science classes, which are very important when one wishes to become a pharmacist. There were times when Latasha had second thoughts about pursuing this career. Her classes got extremely hard, but she got through it and realized that each class she took would help her in her future profession.

Latasha had to take the NAPLEX to get her pharmacist license. It is a computerized test, and the more questions you answer correctly the harder they get, so the exam was very difficult. Her school had many career fairs for the students to attend so they could find a good job after graduation, and there were also seminars with �head hunters� looking to recruit students. After Latasha had graduated pharmacy school and gotten her license, she started working at a hospital. She actually prefers hospital work to retail (the type of work she is currently doing) but retail was paying much more, so she decided to take that road. License renewal is state specific, and Florida�s law is that pharmacist must renew their license bi-annually. There is also continued education throughout the year. At the time of her graduation, it was somewhat difficult for her to find a job, but lately there have been shortages throughout the country for pharmacist jobs, so it is not too hard to find a place of employment.  Latasha�s current job at Target involves working nights and weekends. She says that she does not really mind that because there is another pharmacist with whom she alternates weekends. �The shifts at Target are better than the hours I used to work at my other job. The days are shorter (10 hour days rather than 13 hour days, which is what I used to have to work), although I have to work more days a week this way, but I really don�t mind it.�

When asked what the most difficult part of her job was, Latasha said that the insurance companies give her a lot of problems. When it comes to dealing with insurance, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have to be the �middle mean� between the customer and the insurance company. Many times a drug will not be on a patient�s formulary and the insurance will not cover it. This in turn upsets the patient who in turn takes it out on the pharmacist. �That�s just a part of the job that you have to get used to and deal with,� says Latasha. �A lot of times the things that the insurance company won�t pay for is not in the best interest of the patient, and it is a touchy topic.� Another difficult part of being a pharmacist is all of the double-checking. When one is dealing with the lives and well-being of other people, one must always check and re-check everything one does. Because this is so important, Latasha said that pharmacists must have malpractice insurance just like doctors do.

Latasha enjoys the part of her job where she gets to deal with people. She has always wanted to help people, and being a pharmacist allows her to see the results of her efforts for her patients. However, Latasha says that dealing with the general public can sometimes be difficult, especially when dealing with a disgruntled customer. She recognizes the difficulty of this profession. When asked if she could go back and do it over, Latasha said that she would actually go to medical school instead. She enjoys being a pharmacist, but now that she has seen what it is like, she thinks that maybe it would have been better to go to medical school, and later pursued a career in pharmacy.

Summary

In my experience working in the Target pharmacy, I have learned so much. When I first started working in the pharmacy, I knew nothing about the profession or how a pharmacist filled a prescription. I started off just as a cashier, but as time progressed I started to learn about the different drugs and what to do to fill the patients� prescriptions. I am currently learning the computer system in the pharmacy and I am training to be a technician so I can get more hours this summer.

I know now how much hard work and dedication it requires to be a pharmacist. You must complete a total of six years at school, and that includes two years of pre requisite work and four years at pharmacy school. You must complete the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) to get your pharmacist license. You have to complete an internship before getting your license, and once you have your license you must periodically get it renewed.

A pharmacist�s schedule can be very flexible. A pharmacist can work at retail stores, hospitals, independent pharmacies, and many other places. A pharmacist must be a �people person.� Pharmacists deal with the general public everyday, and a lot of times encounter disgruntled customers. You must be patient and willing to explain things to people because you basically have their lives in your hands. A good pharmacist is dependable and has good judgment. Pharmacists must have a willingness to learn, and a sound education in sciences and mathematics is very important.

The thing that I have learned most about the profession of being a pharmacist is that you must have a drive to help others. Many people get into this profession because they make a nice salary. But in the long run, the main purpose of a pharmacist is to help others. People often overlook the duties of a pharmacist, but they are just as important as the doctor is. We have regular customers come to the Target pharmacy who are honestly grateful to our pharmacists for what they do, and it is a really great feeling to know that you have made a difference to someone. �Unbelievable,� as Latasha put it.