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About PharmacyContrary to popular beliefs, pharmacy is not simply dispensing pills. Pharmacy is a rewarding profession in the healthcare system that involves working with doctors and patients. No matter what health field you step into, there is always a need for pharmacists. They provide their expertise on the composition, use, and manufacturing of a drug, as well as its physiological and chemical reactions. A career in pharmacy provides flexible work schedules, a broad spectrum of opportunities, direct patient contact, and top salaries right out of pharmacy school! Pharmacists not only educate consumers on the use of medications but also monitor progress of their patients to maximize their response to drugs. Because pharmacists play a vital role in healthcare, they also advise doctors and other healthcare professionals on how to make wise drug decisions. For this reason, pharmacists are consistently ranked as one of the most trusted professionals for the services they render! Due to the rapid growth of the healthcare system, the growing elderly population and pharmaceutical industry, there is an increased demand for trained pharmacists
CAREERS IN PHARMACY Many of us are familiar with retail pharmacy like Walgreens, Longs and Rite Aid. But there are even more exciting opportunities out there! Hospital Pharmacy Staff Pharmacist Clinical Pharmacist Administration Pharmacy Consultant Home Health Care Long-Term Care Facilities Internet Consultant Pharmaceutical Industry Research and Development Manufacturing Pharmacoeconomics Government Agencies Hospice and home care Public Health Services Retail Pharmacy Independent ownership Chain Stores Communities College and Universities Professor/Lecturer Medical and Scientific Publishing Science Writer
Some interesting facts you should know... • Did you know that pharmacy can be a 2 + 4 year program? You can apply for pharmacy school as soon as you finish the prerequisites. A Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelors of Science (B.S.) degree is not required. However, it takes at least 2 years of undergraduate study followed by 4 more years of pharmacy school to obtain a Pharm.D. Degree (Doctor of Pharmacy which is similar to a Masters Degree). The majority of entering students have 3-4 years of college education. • The starting salary for pharmacist is $86,000 a year, with benefits! • Pharmacists are consistently ranked as one of the most trusted professionals. • California has some of the top schools in the nation for pharmacy. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the nation's leading pharmacy school is right across the bay from UC Berkeley. • Other pharmacy schools in California are the University of the Pacific (UOP) in Stockton, USC in Los Angeles, Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Touro Unversity College of Pharmacy on Mare Island, Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy, and UCSD.
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