How the Pharmacy Major Prepares You for the Job Market
The health care field is booming, and is one of the most promising industries to join for the future. Employment opportunities in the industry are expected to increase a whopping 27 percent by 2014, adding roughly 3.6 million new jobs to the work force, according to Department of Laborís Employment and Training Administration. With such positive growth prospects, it is little surprise that pharmacy work is increasing in popularity as well. Pharmacy majors have the exciting opportunity to join a highly prosperous field in medicine and patient care. To prepare for this, pharmacy majors take courses in physics, mathematics, biology, and other topics related to bettering student understanding of diagnoses, medicinal properties, and medicinal interactions with the body and other medicines. Pharmacy majors must also complete outside clinic work in order to gain firsthand experience and observe working professionals. This combination of intensive educational preparation alongside real-world work creates the firm foundation that employers seek in new pharmacy graduates.
Best Career Paths for Pharmacy Majors
The pharmacy field is both challenging and rewarding, allowing employees to work behind the scenes and with patients to improve health care. The best career paths for pharmacy majors are:
- Pharmacist. Pharmacists are often called ìthe most accessible health care professionalsî because of their accessibility and knowledge. Unlike physicians, who must be reached with an appointment, or nurses, who work primarily in physician offices, pharmacists offer basic medical advice to patients without an appointment and are often available for consultation in convenient locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, and mass retailers. Pharmacists dispense medication according to a physicianís prescription and educate patients on how to take the medication and the possible effects of the drugs. They also answer any questions that a patient may have about proper usage and drug interaction. Pharmacists make an average salary of $106,410 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Pharmacy Technician. Pharmacy technicians are responsible for helping pharmacists dispense medications and handle the day-to-day operations of the pharmacy. They check the accuracy of the prescription, often calling the physician for details or clarification, and also ensure that the prescription is not falsified. Technicians measure and mix the medication, as well as prepare the prescription label that is stuck to the outside of the medication bottle. Unlike pharmacists, pharmacy technicians do not answer any health or medicine-related inquiries. They must refer those matters to the pharmacist. A pharmacy technician position is a good way to earn pharmacy experience before working professionally in the medical field. Pharmacy technicians earn an average hourly wage of $13.32, according to the Bureau.
How to Market Your Pharmacy Degree
Your pharmacy degree proves that you are skilled in medicine, biology, chemistry, and mathematics. However, your degree will only work for you if you know how to emphasize all of the skills you learned from your schooling. One of the most important things to show employers is that the education you received is applicable to real-world working situations. To do this, stress how your classroom skills helped you to develop healthy work habits in your outside clinical work, and how youíll take your experiences in the classroom and clinic and apply to your work in a professional pharmacy setting.
