Skip to content

How to become a Pharmacist

Pharmacist

Career progression and salary expectations for a Pharmacist

1

Pharmacist

| Up to £60,000

The role of a Pharmacist

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.
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
"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

Want to see more?
View all Pharmacy courses
All Pharmacist jobs
Need Advice? Ask our virtual career advisor