The Goals of Pharmacy School
Pharmacy school has become an integral part of our higher education system and continues to attract more students every year, despite urban legends about the “suicide rate of pharmacists” (and dentists). While pharmacy is a demanding subject and career choice (including a thorough understanding of chemistry, biology, and more than likely working on weekends), many students of pharmacy school enjoy the process and can’t wait to begin their careers. Pharmacy school requires more than just a diploma, but also includes an array of exams that must be passed in order to become a pharmacist.
Pharmacists are in charge of the distribution of prescription drugs to their many patients, as well as consulting with patients on the proper dosage. Despite popular belief, pharmacists are not as involved with “compounding” the medications as many of us think we are. I know I envision my pharmacists behind their office doors mixing together medications with beakers and other cylindrical devices. However, with the influx of pharmaceutical companies, most medicines are now produced in standard dosages without the additional requirement of a pharmacist’s degree. While pharmacy students typically go through years of grueling science-related courses throughout their degree programs, many pharmacists now are more well-versed in health insurance policies than chemical formulas because of the drastic changes pharmacy programs have made over the years.
This is not to say that true pharmacy programs no longer involve actual pharmacy – many pharmacists now choose specialty careers such as oncology or nutrition, and are thus able to advise their patients on the best prescription drugs to take for each related illness. The Board of Labor Statistics reports that pharmacists hold around 300,000 jobs throughout the nation, with 65% of them working in retail settings. The other 35% are typically able to practice pharmacy in a setting that is more relaxed and set apart from the “tyrannical force” of pharmaceutical companies, away from the Walgreens and CVSes. In the end, one of the main goals of pharmacy school is of course to end up as a pharmacist, a future career which is one of the best in the country at the moment. In a country that is currently witnessing the highest unemployment rates in its existence, pharmacy school presents a more than suitable alternative career choice. The projected job prospects have been statistically viewed to rise at an exponential rate in the next decade – a marked sign that despite the reign of pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists will continue to play a vital role within the economy.
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 at 11:06 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
