Pharmacists are the health professional responsible for dispensing prescriptions , communicating drug information and providing medication-related primary health care to patients. Pharmacists are the principal resource to patients and other health professionals in assuring appropriate use of , and maximal therapeutic outcomes from , medications. Pharmacists are the most trusted professionals in the country according to the national survey of consumers. There are a variety of job options for pharmacists. They can work in community pharmacies , hospitals , home health care companies , nursing homes , managed care organizations , clinics , research centers and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Currently, Pharmacy colleges and universities in the United States offer two entry-level degrees: the bachelor of science (B.S.) and the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.). The B. S. program is being phased out and most B.S. programs are not accepting new students. The Pharm.D. requires 4 years of professional study following a minimum of 2 years of pre-professional study. These pre-professional or pre-pharmacy course work requirements are in English, mathematics, basic physical and biological sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
To find out about the common course requirements for most careers in the health professions, please visit our Prerequisite courses page. Specific courses like microbiology, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, speech, and economics are suggested and sometimes required by different pharmacy schools. Consult the pharmacy schools that you are interested in for more information about their specific requirements.
For more information about Pharmacy, please check out the following web sites.
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