Pharmacists distribute drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. Therefore, as a pharmacists, you must understand the use, clinical effects, and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties.

In order to be able to practice pharmacy and call yourself a pharmacist, you need to be licensed. To obtain a license, you need to graduate from a college of pharmacy that is recognized by ACPE – the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Various pharmacy programs are available through out the country, granting you a degree of Doctor of Pharmacy upon completion of at least 6 years of postsecondary study and the passing of the State board examination.

In community pharmacies, upon becoming licensed, pharmacists usually begin at the staff level. In independent pharmacies, after they gain experience and secure the necessary capital, some become owners or part owners of pharmacies.

However, increasingly, pharmacists are pursuing nontraditional pharmacy work. Some are involved in research for pharmaceutical manufacturers, developing new drugs and therapies and testing their effects on people. Others work in marketing or sales, providing expertise to clients on a drug’s use, effectiveness, and possible side effects. Some pharmacists work for health insurance companies, developing pharmacy benefit packages and carrying out cost-benefit analyses on certain drugs.