Overview for Pharmacists

Pharmacists distribute prescription drugs to individuals. They also advise patients, physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists monitor the health and progress of patients to ensure safe and effective use of medication. Compounding, which is the actual mixing of ingredients to form medications, represents only a small part of a pharmacist’s practice, since most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. Most pharmacists work in a community setting or in a health care facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, mental health institution, or neighborhood health clinic.

Employment Situation

There were 243,000 pharmacists working in the U.S. in 2006. 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 growing numbers of middle-aged and elderly people will continue to raise the demand for pharmacists over this period. Other factors likely to increase demand for pharmacists include scientific advances that will make more drug products available and coverage of prescription drugs by more health insurance plans and Medicare.

Education Outlook

A license is required, and individuals who want to become professional pharmacists must graduate from an accredited college of pharmacy and pass a series of examinations.

In the 2006–07 academic year, 70 colleges of pharmacy also awarded the master-of-science degree or the Ph.D. degree. Both of these degrees are awarded after the completion of a Pharm.D. degree. They are designed for individuals who want additional clinical, laboratory, and research experience. Areas of graduate study include pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry (physical and chemical properties of drugs and dosage forms), pharmacology (effects of drugs on the body), and pharmacy administration. Many pharmacists with master’s and PhDs work in research at a drug company or teach at a university.

Salary Expectations for Pharmacists

Median annual wages of pharmacists in May 2006 totaled $94,520. Pay ranged from less than $67,860 to more than $119,480 a year. Median yearly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of pharmacists in May 2006 were Department stores ($99,050), grocery stores ($95,600), drug stores ($94,640), and general medical and surgical hospitals ($93,640).

Related Information

* All advertised Pharmacists jobs
* Find a Healthcare school near you

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