Doctor of Pharmacy

 What is a Doctor of Pharmacy?

If you’re considering applying to medical school to become a doctor, you might be surprised to learn that becoming an actual physician isn’t your only option. There are actually three levels of medical degrees: Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). These medical degrees represent the first, second, and third years of medical school, respectively. While MDs and DOs typically practice as physicians, PharmDs are highly skilled health care professionals who typically work in pharmacies, hospitals, outpatient clinics, research laboratories, academia, or private practice.

The Role of the Doctor of Pharmacy

A doctor of pharmacy is an advanced practice health care professional who provides independent and objective pharmacotherapy services to patients within his or her scope of practice. The role includes but may not be limited to: Clinical Pharmacy, Prescription Writing (Compounding), Direct Patient Care, Consultative Services, Managed Care Contract Services, and/or Administration. A pharmacist in direct patient care has direct interaction with patients while providing them with appropriate pharmaceutical therapy. This person can have any title such as doctor of pharmacy (PharmD), clinical pharmacist  or clinical pharmacist specialist (CPS). In most states, individuals with these titles are considered licensed professionals capable of self-regulation by applying for certification through their respective state boards of pharmacy. Additionally, persons holding these titles would normally be eligible for medical staff membership at hospitals that allow pharmacists on their medical staffs which permits participation in medical rounds, admission and discharge planning decisions as well as hospital committees that affect treatment plans for patients admitted to that facility.

Where Do Pharmacists Work?

A doctor of pharmacy usually works in one of two settings: retail and hospital. In a retail setting, doctors may work in drug stores or they may be employed by large chains such as CVS or Walgreens. The other setting—the one that is growing more rapidly—is hospitals. Many hospitals now employ their own doctors, though some doctors are actually contracted by staffing companies to come into hospitals as needed. Doctors who provide care at pharmacies located inside hospitals will be on call during all hours, but those who are part of permanent staff often have traditional business hours. Pharmaceuticals aren’t just pills; they’re injectables and infusions too! Doctors must be able to administer medications in any form or manner necessary. Most retail pharmacies require some type of night coverage which means shifts will vary depending on where you live.

How Much Does a Doctor of Pharmacy Make?

The median annual salary for pharmacists was $120,190 in 2017. The highest-paid earned more than $176,550. The lowest-paid earned less than $79,040. Earnings vary depending on geographic region and employment setting (including hospital or independent pharmacy practice). Salary also varies based on level of education attained and professional certifications. A PhD in pharmaceutical sciences can lead to an income exceeding six figures. According to Glassdoor, a registered pharmacist earns an average wage of $115K/year. However, it’s important to note that not all pharmacists work at pharmacies! For example, according to Indeed, a clinical pharmacist earns $113K/year and works in outpatient settings such as doctor’s offices and hospitals. So do your research before choosing which type of institution you want to work at—and which career track fits your personality best!

A Day in the Life of a Pharmacists

There are many different paths for those who choose to pursue becoming a pharmacist. One thing that most careers have in common is hard work, but some can also prove to be challenging and stressful; if you ask any pharmacist, they will agree that it’s definitely not an easy job, but one that can be immensely rewarding as well. Before you decide on going into pharmacy school or not, here’s what your day would look like! The first part of your day begins with dispensing medications that have been prescribed by patients. You may need to talk about certain medications with patients, which can sometimes lead to lengthy conversations. This brings us to another responsibility associated with being a pharmacist: educating people about their medication. Besides these responsibilities, you will also have other tasks such as packaging orders and filling prescriptions on time.

Education for Doctor of Pharmacy

A Doctor of Pharmacy, or pharmacist, has to complete six years of education after high school. They must graduate from an accredited pharmacy program before being licensed as pharmacists in any state. After graduating with their doctorate degree, pharmacists are required to pass two exams administered by state and national boards which qualify them to take on clinical responsibilities. However, there are several career paths available that do not require becoming a pharmacist. By educating yourself about other positions you can work towards without obtaining a doctorate degree, you can gain more insight into what options will be available to you when you finish your schooling. Pharmaceutical sales representatives: These professionals travel around and educate doctors about new drugs. Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives may have either had a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology or have completed pre-pharmacy courses through an Associate’s Program for Pharmacists who did not finish their four-year degree. Industrial/product development specialists: This job title refers to an individual whose main focus is research and development at a pharmaceutical company. They create innovative products within labs and help develop strategies to market these products nationally. Industrial/product development specialists often have either a Master’s Degree in Chemistry or were previously employed as researchers. Medical technicians: Medical technicians perform experiments using lab instruments under close supervision of researchers at pharmaceutical companies.

Why Choose this Career Path?

The first thing to know about becoming a pharmacist is that there are four different types: hospital, community, industrial, and institutional. While it might be easy to assume that all pharmacists work in pharmacies, only about 27% actually do so as their primary job.

Future Outlook for the Profession

The need for pharmacists and other medical providers in an aging U.S. population will continue to grow over at least the next decade. The BLS predicts much faster than average job growth for pharmacists from 2014 to 2024, driven in part by a greater need for medication management among older Americans as well as demand for personalized medicine—healthcare that takes into account individuals’ genetic make-up and other factors that impact drug response—within large, multi-state health systems.