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How to become a Pharmacist

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Pharmacist courses

Career progression and salary expectations for a Pharmacist

Pharmacist

| Up to £60,000

The role of a Pharmacist

What does a Pharmacist do?

Have you ever dreamt of pursuing a career in science? Do you also have an interest in healthcare? Then you could make the ideal Pharmacist.

A Pharmacist is mostly responsible for dispensing medications that have been prescribed by doctors, but the job involves so much more than passing boxes of pills over a counter.The role of a Pharmacist will typically involve:

Meeting patients and assessing undiagnosed conditions, perhaps referring them to a GP if necessary.
Monitoring and reviewing the progress of patients already on prescribed medication.
Providing basic healthcare advice.
Checking and dispensing medication.
Supervising technicians and other staff.

Is a career as a Pharmacist right for me?

To succeed as a Pharmacist, you'll need excellent interpersonal skills, as well as an in-depth knowledge of physiology and the human body - often, you can be the first port of call for patients with concerns over their health, so being able to deliver advice is essential.

A great Pharmacist will be:

Diligent
Conscientious
Responsible
A good listener
Excellent at remembering - both drug names and people's names
Able to compare documents to spot potential errors

What's it like to be a Pharmacist?

"I may spend a lot of time on my feet in a typical day, but I love the variation that being a Pharmacist offers. It's certainly never boring, plus you really feel like a team thanks to some great Pharmacy Technicians. The most rewarding part for me is when a customer comes in to say thank-you for making a difference to their health - it makes everything worthwhile and it's why I chose to work in the community."

Get qualified as a Pharmacist

There are strict entry criteria for this profession. To be a Pharmacist, you'll need a masters degree (MPharm) from an accredited university, a year's training in a community or hospital pharmacy and to pass the final registration exam.

Recommended Pharmacy courses

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