Within the medical industry, there are thousands of different types of careers to choose from. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employing 14 million people in 2006, the medical industry projects an estimated three million more jobs by 2016.” One medical career that is both well-paid and rewarding is a Pharmacist. When compared to other medical careers, the salaries of pharmacists are very lucrative. An additional benefit of a having a career as a pharmacist is that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that “careers in pharmacy will increase by 22 percent over the next 10 years.”
Pharmacists are licensed medical professionals that are involved with the dispensing of drugs and medications to patients. As well, they educate patients on dosages and reactions associated with a particular drug. A pharmacist has to be an expert in calculating drug dosages so there is a lot of responsibility that comes with the career. Although the pharmacist is an expert in compounding, formulating, storing, and dispensing pharmaceutical drugs and medication, the pharmacist’s direction is changing and evolving to include such areas as drug therapy for patients and the interactions of these drugs and their side effects, teaching diabetic patients how to inject insulin, assisting hypertension patients with managing their blood pressure, as well as the treatment of certain conditions such as colds, flu, and skin irritations…etc. They also offer community health programs such as testing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and promoting health issues such as a healthy diet and exercise. Pharmacists must earn a Pharmacy Degree from an accredited college or school of pharmacy and acquire a license in order to work as a pharmacist.
A career as a pharmacist is very financially rewarding. As a pharmacist acquires more experience, salary will increase. The normal starting salary for pharmacist is about $80,000. After so many years working as a pharmacist, salary can be over $100,000. Salary can vary according to the industry where the pharmacist is employed. Pharmacists can be employed in retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, drug store chains…etc. The highest salaries can be found in the retail pharmacy industry. As well, Pharmacists often receive special incentives when they accept a job position. These incentives can be a bonus that can be up to $15,000. The bonuses normally come with a contract where the pharmacist will stay at a particular job for a specified number of years
Pharmacists are devoted to fulfilling the health care requirements of their patients. Pharmacy is a profession that is expanding in new directions to meet the health care needs of all members of the community. The pharmacist is involved in a broad range of health roles in a community and it is a career that is expanding to a variety of medical areas. For instance, one fourth of pharmacists work in hospitals and many pharmacists now work for pharmaceutical companies on new drug development.
Pharmacists play a fundamental role in the community and provide an important function as educator to the public. A career as a pharmacist is a financially and personally rewarding career with many opportunities for those who enjoy attending to the health care needs of the community.