• Pharmacist Job Description

    A pharmacist is a licensed medical professional who prepares, mixes, and dispenses prescribed medicines and provides expert advice on their usage. Pharmacists study the functioning of the human body and the sources, nature, properties, and preparations of medicines to provide expert advice on the choice, dosages, interactions and side effects of medicines.

    A pharmacist should have good knowledge of medicinal drugs, their usage, side effects and interactions with food and other medicines. They should be honest, polite, friendly, helpful, caring and concerned for others, especially sick people. They should also be careful, responsible, and good at communicating.

    Pursue a career in pharmacy if you have aptitude for science and interest in handling and dispensing medicinal drugs.
  • What does a Pharmacist do?

    Pharmacists may do some or all of the following:

    • work with doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers
    • prepare, mix and dispense medicines carefully
    • counsel patients in the correct use of medicines and in the maintenance of good health
    • carry out blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol testing
    • guide and manage pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy staff
    • work as sales representatives for drug manufacturers
    • keep abreast with the development in the field
    • lecture at colleges and universities
    • manage the registration of new medicines
    • carry out research to help in the development and testing of new medicines
  • Where does a Pharmacist work?
  • Working Conditions

    Pharmacists usually work normal office hours, but may sometimes work evenings and weekends. They work in community pharmacies and hospitals.

  • What is Required to Become a Pharmacist?

    To become a pharmacist, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and complete an internship program in a hospital or community pharmacy. Pharmacists are required to be licensed to practice.

  • Modules

    Just to give you an idea, some of the classes that you’ll be taking in college may include:

    • Physiology
    • Pathophysiology
    • Medicinal chemistry
    • Pharmacognosy
    • Pharmacology
    • Toxicology
    • Clinical data
    • Interactions of drugs and disease states
    • Ethics, management, pharmacy law
  • Specializations

    A pharmacist may specialize to become any of the following:

    • Community Pharmacist
    • Consultant Pharmacist
    • Hospital Pharmacist
    • Industrial Pharmacist
    • Veterinary Pharmacist
  • Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

    Pharmacists need to have:

    • patience
    • empathy
    • humility
    • adaptability
    • emotional stability
    • honesty and integrity
    • scientific aptitude
    • self-motivation
    • self discipline
    • manual and finger dexterity
    • good memory
    • good eyesight and near vision
    • good attention to detail
    • good hand-eye coordination
    • good interpersonal skills
    • good listening and communication skills
    • good judgment and decision making skills
    • time management and organizational skills
    • analytical and problem-solving skills
    • math and computer skills
    • interviewing and counseling skills
    • the ability to maintain patients confidentiality
    • the ability to work well under pressure
    • the ability to work well independently and in a team
    • the ability to accurately interpret prescriptions
    • the ability to avoid evil and use the knowledge of pharmacy only for good
    • the ability to handle a patient’s medical condition for the patient’s own benefit
    • knowledge of drug nomenclature
    • knowledge of medical terminology
    • knowledge of medicines and how they affect the human body
    • knowledge of relevant laws and procedures
    • knowledge of alternative health treatments and practices

References

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