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Thinking Of Becoming a Pharmacist To Work Online Pharmacies?

 

Becoming a pharmacist requires years of education and training. Pharmacists must also obtain licensure to serve in the profession. They can spend anywhere between six years to thirteen years completing pre-requisites, pharmacy school, clinical rotations, and national exams. They need to obtain the necessary skills, knowledge and certifications to become licensed health care professionals dedicated on educating patients on drug use, disease prevention and advising physicians on medication issues.

 

What Does a Pharmacist Do?

 

Pharmacists are more involved with the actual preparation and dispensing of drugs. They must ensure that patients receive proper instructions for administering the medications and warning of any precautions or health restrictions based on the medication. They have a detailed understanding of dosing, formulation, chemical reactions, and manage assistants in those areas. The modern roles of pharmacists include improving patient health and educating patients about disease prevention. Pharmacists work in healthcare facilities, private businesses, drugstores and hospitals. You can help people buy drugs safely online.

 

Steps in Becoming A Pharmacist

  • Pre-requisites (2-4 years)

 

The classes taken as an undergraduate are typically the same classes that prospective physicians and biomedical students take. They must complete at least 2 years of pre-pharmacy coursework or complete 3-4 years of bachelor’s degree program to be eligible for pharmacy school. They are not required to take specific majors but academic courses in chemistry, biology, physics, anatomy and calculus can provide foundation for advanced pharmacy classes.

 

  • Doctor of Pharmacy Degree

 

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree is the first professional step toward practicing as a pharmacist.Pharm.D programs take four years to complete. The first year focuses on the fundamentals of pharmacy including pharmacy laws and ethics, dosing, pharmacy calculations, patient counseling and working with physicians. The second and third year centers on more advanced principles like pharmacotherapy, health management, biostatistics, and the first steps of clinical rotations. On the fourth year, students undergo clinical training to prepare them to the patient-care aspects of the profession.

 

  • National Licensing Exams

 

The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) is the principle board exam that tests the student’s knowledge of pharmacy practice. It includes multiple subjects learned in school from therapeutics to patient assessment. Passing the NAPLEX means licensure as a pharmacist. Most states also require the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination on federal and state laws. Graduates of pharmacy schools not located in the U.S. must pass the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) Certification.

 

Career Options

 

Graduates who pass the national licensing exams may go on to serve as pharmacists in community, government or consulting pharmacies. Most pharmacists work in retail pharmacies while others work in private and public healthcare facilities. Online Canadian Pharmacies are a great resource for some people  as well.

 

Choosing a specialization can open up career options outside the medication distribution role. Some pharmacists specialize in a specific drug therapy area like oncology or psychiatric pharmacy. Pharmaceutical researchers can help develop new drugs along with controlled test groups for new drugs. Those who are interested in teaching can become teachers at a college and share their knowledge of pharmaceutical studies with students. Private industries may hire pharmacists to market drugs. Health Insurance companies hire pharmacists to analyze research findings on certain drugs.

 

 

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