How To Evaluate The Profession Of Pharmacist As Your Career
Pharmacy is a great academic and career choice, but requires dedication, knowledge, and some strong problem solving skills in order to perform well in the job position of being a pharmacist. With the right qualifications, experience, and attitude, you too could become a pharmacist and be an integral part of the US healthcare team, assisting people in both getting healthy and staying healthy by practicing your chosen profession of pharmacy.
Becoming a pharmacist has in the past always been associated with science and chemistry, but the rapidly changing, expanding and evolving roles of pharmacists today is much more than just preparing prescription medications and dispensing drugs to patients. If you're interested in the science of medicine, plus have a true desire to help people who are ill get better and manage their health via communication, then becoming a pharmacist may be the perfect career choice and profession for you.
I Want To Become A Pharmacist, But How Do I Get Started?
Planning your course of action and then actually taking the steps to get started are always the hardest part of any journey that's rewarding in the end, so here's a "roadmap" for you to review while you're considering pursuing the respected and rewarding profession of becoming a pharmacist as a career choice.
- Evaluate The Educational Requirements For Becoming A Pharmacist
The first step in your journey to become a qualified pharmacist is to explore and evaluate the educational requirements that you will need. Since a career as a pharmacist requires that you obtain a post-secondary education, this includes researching what courses are necessary and required, plus at what level of education they must be taken. Additionally, as pharmacists must be licensed before they can legally practice, interested prospects should also research the regulations associated with becoming a pharmacist. Note that pharmacy regulations may vary in different states at times, so it's also important to determine what possible geographic areas and states you may be interested in practicing in when the time comes to take exams for getting your licensure to practice as a pharmacist.
- Choosing Which Pharmacy School To Attend
The next step on the "roadmap" to becoming a successful pharmacist is choosing which pharmacy school or college of pharmacy you want to attend and that best fits your needs. When deciding which pharmacy school to attend, it is important to consider the school’s accreditation, their curriculum, and their reputation. We will be discussing this in much greater detail in our next blog post, as the NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) has recently released the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® Passing Rates for 2020 - 2022 Graduates. So stay tuned for "our interpretation" of which pharmacy schools lead the "pack" when it comes to their students and graduates passing the NAPLEX exams.
- Get As Much Clinical Experience As Possible
Gaining clinical experience is sometimes a major key. Opportunities for getting clinical experience exist in both retail or hospital pharmacies. Retail pharmacy experience can be ideal for those who wish to gain hands-on experience in patient/customer service oriented work environments. Hospital pharmacists on the other hand offer clinical experience to an individual's work skills such as compounding medications, mixing IV infusions, preparing oncology formulations, hyperalimentation preparation (TPN), plus working directly with physicians and doctors to determine which medications are most appropriate for patients in certain instances.
Additionally, you may also be able to gain clinical experience through internships, clinical rotations, and clinical clerkships. If you have a chance to participate in an internship, clinical clerkship, or clinical rotation, remember to take it extremely seriously, and use it as a way of getting familiar with the industry, and making yourself much more "marketable" when applying for possible future work opportunities.
- Filling Out Your Licensure Applications
One of the final steps in becoming a pharmacist is to apply for licensure. Within the US, licensure requirements for pharmacists vary from state to state, and there can be complicated nuances involved between certain states when dealing with these many variations of licensure requirements. Plus it sometimes seems like a "moving target" as states place restrictions on licence reciprocation. So again, where you plan to work geographically may have an effect on which State Boards you may choose to apply in regarding licensure. We highly recommend that you check with your local Department of Health or State Board of Pharmacy for the exact details.
- Pass The Required State Board Exams In The State(s) You Want To Practice
All potential pharmacists must pass a series of exams to finally become licensed. The majority of State Boards require that both the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) be taken. Many states require prospective pharmacists to take and pass both a written examination, plus pass a practical skills exam. Depending on the state, some may require more exams or tests than others states do. Moreover, numerous states additionally have a third exam of their own. Once all of these exams are passed successfully, a candidate then becomes licensed to practice pharmacy in that respective state.
- Getting A Job As A Registered Pharmacist
Once you have finally completed your education and fulfilled all of the necessary requirements, you're now able to work and practice your chosen profession as a pharmacist. It is important to know what kind of pharmacist job opportunities are available in your area so that you can make informed decisions about where to apply for work in the specialty and work environment that you prefer.
It's important to note at this point that to become licensed and registered, all potential pharmacists must also submit to a criminal background check, submit fingerprints, plus pay for any of the associated fees. Once you have met all of the requirements for licensure, you will then receive your license and be able to begin practice as a pharmacist.
As a pharmacist, you can choose from numerous job types, including retail settings in both independent community drugstores and retail chain stores, hospitals, clinics, specialty pharmacists, mail-order operations, drug manufacturers, and an ever expanding number of emerging opportunities in the profession. Most find that becoming a pharmacist to be a rewarding job and career with numerous different and evolving opportunities within the field of pharmacy.
About Healthcare Consultants Pharmacy Staffing
If you are a pharmacy owner or manager, HCC Pharmacy Staffing can find you the best qualified talent (both pharmacists and technicians) available to meet your needs in almost every situation. With over three decades of experience in pharmacy staffing, HCC is known nationally for being able to match the right candidate to the right job, plus has been providing temporary staffing for pharmacies in all 50 states, as well as providing relief pharmacy staffing during emergency situations. We work with owners, HR departments, and pharmacy managers of every type and size of pharmacy business and operation, from the small independent retail community pharmacies to the large national pharmacy groups. We are therefore able to meet almost every individual pharmacy's specific needs when it comes to finding the right staffing talent, including specialty pharmacies. If you're interested in finding out how HCC can help your pharmacy business meet your specific staffing needs, then call us today at (800) 642-1652, or simply fill out our easy-to-use online form now, and an experienced, in-house HCC staffing expert will get back to you as soon as possible.
The same is true if you are a pharmacist or pharmacy technician who's interested in changing your current job position and exploring new professional opportunities and settings to practice in. With current job openings and exciting opportunities available throughout the US, HCC Pharmacy Staffing can help you to find the best possible jobs available to match your specific individual lifestyle needs and work requirements. Whatever market segment that a pharmacist or tech is looking to work in, we can help! If you are a pharmacist looking to switch jobs or relocate, we urge you to talk with us. With positions immediately available, contact us today online or call us at 800-642-1652 now to get started.
