| |
Healthcare
Positions
lA Career as a Pharmacist
by Nihit Aurora If you are looking for a rewarding career
in the pharmaceutical industry, you might want to think about
becoming a pharmacist. Pharmacists dispense drugs that doctors
prescribe for patients. Additionally, they advise patients
on dosages and side effects. Pharmacists also monitor the
health and progress of patients to ensure
that patients use prescribed drugs safely
and benefit from them. Currently, most pharmaceutical companies
manufacture drugs in standard dosages, reducing the need for
compounding drugs in the pharmacy.OverviewMany pharmacists
choose to work in retail and community settings, while others
prefer to work in-house for health clinics or medical institutions.
Pharmacists who work for healthcare facilities often choose
to obtain training in specialty fields like intravenous nutrition
support, geriatric pharmacy, oncology, or nuclear pharmacy.
Many pharmacists also prepare and administer intravenous drugs
to patients, especially those suffering from cancer and other
advanced diseases. Additionally, pharmacists are responsible
for keeping accurate records of drugs administered to patients.
Many senior pharmacists work as faculty members at academic
institutions, where they teach,
conduct research, and prepare
students for graduation and licensure.Many pharmacists find
work with pharmaceutical companies, where they can become
involved in research and development. Other pharmacists work
in marketing and sales, promoting their companies' products
to doctors, hospitals, and allied health professionals. Other
employers include government bodies and public healthcare
services.
Employment OpportunitiesIn the United
States, a significant number of pharmacists work part time.
Most full-time pharmacists work 40 hours per week with occasional
overtime. However, many self-employed pharmacists put in more
than 50 hours per week. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
there were about 230,000 pharmacy jobs in the U.S. in 2004.
Around 24% of salaried pharmacists work in hospitals, while
others work for retail and community pharmacies, clinics,
healthcare agencies, or the federal government.
SalariesPharmacy is a relatively high-paying professional
field. In May 2004,
Click here for
the rest.
|
|
