Do you want to become a Pharmacist, providing prescriptions and drug advice to patients in a hospital, pharmacy or drug store environment? Are you interested in helping the sick get the medicine they need, and keep their medications straight? In order to become a Pharmacist you'll need to obtain a license in the location or jurisdiction where you plan to dispense medicine. This page will provide links and information on how to get a Pharmacist's license and help get you on your way to a career in Pharmacy.
How to Get a Pharmacist's License
Dr. Jacob Hanaie, the Director of In-Patient Pharmacy Los Angeles, discusses the board exam for a pharmacist's license that is necessary to practice in the field. After receiving your Pharm D, you will need to take two board exams: the national exam and a state specific exam that focuses on the laws within the jurisdiction where you will be practicing. In California, for example, the state specific exam is the CPJE exam. More information is available about this exam on the California Board of Pharmacy website, pharmacy.ca.gov. More information about the NAPLEX exam, the national exam required of all pharmacist candidates, is available at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy website, nabp.net.
Step 1: Attend Pharmacy School
In order to obtain a Pharmacist's license you'll need to apply and submit satisfactory results from entrance exams such as the the AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate), to the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education endorsed Pharmaceutical College of your choice. If you've already completed a Bachelors Degree program, or at least 2 years of post secondary education, demonstration of courses in mathematics and chemistry, biology, or physics, as well as humanities and social sciences is a prerequisite.http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos079.htm#training
Next you will be required to participate in the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if applicable. Upon successful completion of these tests, you are now qualified to proceed with the Pharmacy curriculum.http://www.pharmcas.org/docs/CHECKLIST%200910.pdf
Step 2: Obtain Pharm. D., NAPLEX and MPJE
Completing the Pharmacy curriculum can take anywhere from 2-6 years, dependent on previous course work and preparatory education. Once the curriculum is completed, a Pharm.D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) Degree is issued, qualifying one for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX), the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) and whatever other exams are required by a given state or jurisdiction.http://www.visalaw.com/IMG/pharmacistchart.pdf
Step 3: Obtaining the Pharmacist License
In many states, applicants must pass a criminal background check as well as meet an age requirement before a Pharm. D. degree can be obtained. Prospective pharmacists should have scientific aptitude, interpersonal skills, a philanthropic disposition, as well as detail orientation, because of the important decisions and responsibility of human life Pharmacists face daily.http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Career_Resources&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11570
If you have arranged for your exam results to be provided directly to your local licensing agency or state board, and meet the requirements for practical experience, you are ready to obtain your Pharmacist's license and begin looking for work as a Pharmacist.
More Pharmacy Videos on Mahalo
Check out the videos below to learn more about Pharmacy.
How to Pick a Pharmacy School
Dr. Jacob Hanaie, the Director of In-Patient Pharmacy Los Angeles, discusses how to pick a pharmacy school and which are the best in the nation. USC School of Pharmacy and UCSF, two of the best in the nation, are located in California. Although different rankings let you know how good a pharmacy school might be, you also need to do your own research to see how well their program will work for you. AACP.org contains rankings for various schools across the nation that is useful to check. In addition to the school's reputation, each school is known for a specific niche within the field of pharmacy, e.g., USC is known for networking, retail and clinical pharmacy, while YCSF is strong in research and the hospital setting.
How To Apply For Pharmacy School
This is a video featuring Dr. Jacob Hanaie, Director of In-Patient Pharmacy of Los Angeles,, discussing the application package which is put together as part of the pharmacy school application submission process. He indicates that the generic application will be accompanied by letters of recommendation, personal statements for each school to which you apply, along with a resume.
What are Pharmacy School Prerequisites
In this video uploaded via YouTube Dr. Jacob Hanaie explains some prerequisites for Pharmacy Schools, including specific a website, aacp.org, which includes specific information about prerequisites for all schools. He explains about the exam how it works in California as well as how it may differ in other states.
How to Prepare for Different Pharmacy Fields
Dr. Jacob Hanaie, the Director of In-Patient Pharmacy Los Angeles, discusses the work involved in the pharmaceutical field. Traditional pharmacy work is referred to as retail pharmacy, in which the pharmacist works with a physician to dispense medications as part of a total treatment plan. Inpatient pharmacists work within a hospital setting to assist in the management patient care. Inpatient pharmacists make rounds, make rounds, review lab work and write prescriptions to adjust medications as needed. It is more hands on and clinical in nature than retail pharmacy. Ambulatory care pharmacy is a rapidly growing field in which the pharmacist is managing chronically ill patients over a long period of time with other health care providers such as nurse practitioners and physicians, e.g., diabetics. Managed care pharmacists work with pharmaceutical companies in their research or outreach programs. While you are in school, try to focus on and do internships within the areas you think you would like to focus on in your career. Other pharmaceutical areas that are growing include pharmacists who focus on the areas of infectious disease, asthma, diabetes and coumadin clinics.
