2. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

3. Overview: Pharmacists distribute drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. They advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists also monitor the health and progress of patients in response to drug therapy to ensure the safe and effective use of medication. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

4. Overview (continued): Pharmacists must understand the use, clinical effects, and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties. Compounding -- the actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and solutions -- is a small part of a pharmacist’s practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

5. Preparation: Courses offered at colleges of pharmacy are designed to teach students about all aspects of drug therapy. In addition, schools teach students how to communicate with patients and other health care providers about drug information and patient care. Students also learn professional ethics, how to develop and manage medication distribution systems, and concepts of public health. The Pharm.D. degree has replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) degree, which is no longer being awarded. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

6. Preparation (continued): In addition to receiving classroom instruction, students in Pharm.D. programs spend about one-fourth of their time learning in a variety of pharmacy practice settings under the supervision of licensed pharmacists. The Pharm.D. degree has replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) degree, which is no longer being awarded. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

7. Preparation (continued): The Pharm.D. is a 4-year program that requires at least 2 years of college study prior to admittance, although most applicants have completed 3 years. Entry requirements usually include courses in mathematics and natural sciences, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences. Approximately two-thirds of all colleges require applicants to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). A full list of accredited programs is on the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center website. Sloan Career Cornerstone Center OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

8. Day in the Life: Pharmacists work in clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated areas. Many pharmacists spend most of their workday on their feet. When working with sterile or dangerous pharmaceutical products, pharmacists wear gloves and masks and work with other special protective equipment. Many community and hospital pharmacies are open for extended hours or around the clock, so pharmacists may work nights, weekends, and holidays. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

9. Day in the Life (continued): Consultant pharmacists may travel to nursing homes or other facilities to monitor patients’ drug therapy. About 16 percent of pharmacists work part time. Most full-time salaried pharmacists work approximately 40 hours a week, and about 10 percent work more than 50 hours. Many pharmacists spend most of their workday on their feet. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

10. Earnings: Median annual wages of wage and salary pharmacists is $106,410. The middle 50 percent earned between $92,670 and $121,310 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $77,390, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $131,440 a year. According to a survey by Drug Topics Magazine, pharmacists in retail settings earned an average of $92,291 per year, while pharmacists in institutional settings earned an average of $97,545. Full-time pharmacists earned an average of $102,336, while part-time pharmacists earned an average of $55,589. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

11. Employment: Pharmacists hold about 269,900 jobs in the United States. About 65 percent worked in retail settings. Most of these were salaried employees, but a small number were self- employed owners. About 22 percent of pharmacists worked in hospitals. A small proportion worked in mail-order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of physicians, and the Federal Government. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

12. Career Path Forecast: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of pharmacists is expected to grow by 17 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The increasing numbers of middle-aged and elderly people -- who use more prescription drugs than younger people -- will continue to spur demand for pharmacists throughout the projection period. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

13. Career Path Forecast (continued): Job prospects are expected to be excellent over the 2008–18 period. Employers in many parts of the country report difficulty in attracting and retaining adequate numbers of pharmacists—primarily the result of the limited training capacity of Pharm.D. programs. In addition, as a larger percentage of pharmacists elects to work part time, more individuals will be needed to fill the same number of prescriptions. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist

14. Resources: More information about a career as an Pharmacist is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, including accredited university programs, suggestions for precollege students, a free monthly careers newsletter, and a PDF summarizing the field. PharmacistSloan Career Cornerstone Centeraccredited university programs precollege students newsletterPDF summarizing the field Associations:  Accreditation Council for Pharmacy EducationAccreditation Council for Pharmacy Education  American Association of Colleges of PharmacyAmerican Association of Colleges of Pharmacy  American Association of Pharmaceutical ScientistsAmerican Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists  American Pharmacists AssociationAmerican Pharmacists Association  American Society of Health-System PharmacistsAmerican Society of Health-System Pharmacists  Board of Pharmaceutical SpecialtiesBoard of Pharmaceutical Specialties  National Association of Boards of PharmacyNational Association of Boards of Pharmacy OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Pharmacist