Pharmacists Job Description

[MrFrodo1066]

Okay, so I slack off in high school, usually studying just enough to maintain an A average GPA. So far I have a 110 in Chemistry and a 97 in Algebra, so I'd say mathematics (except for Geometry) and sciences are my strong points. I assume one would need to attend college for about 6 years altogether, correct? Also, would a pharmacist normally be dealing with people the majority of the time, or at their desk filling out paperwork and counting pills? I'm not a 'people person'

[italkrealsm]

Most boring and uncreative job in the world. Go to school for all these years and come out just pushing pills.

[MrGamerAsian]

lol what if he took Viagra from the shelf

[silentlover07]

PROUD TO BE A PHARMACIST!

[homeboyskilletfresh]

@Butown  stfu prick

[butter2ify]

i'm an average student but can i make it into this field...*sigh.....this is really tough....

[DoThyDerp]

What if i slacked off in High School? Let's say 2.4 GPA. I'm not stupid... just a bit lazy.

[WhereYouWannaBe]

@DoThyDerp Pick it up in college, maintain a high GPA and take classes like chemistry and math and you should do fine.

[TheBryanzkie]

it has all what a pharmacist needs.

[sailornaruto39]

URGH!!! the irony. iam good in science, but suck in math.

[Butown]

i hate pharmacist they think their doctors. counting pills all day, fucking losers

[ArmanZereshkian]

@Butown You clearly do not know what a pharmacist does and if you keep choosing to be ignorant you will never be able to use the skills a pharmacist can provide, because apparently you believe doctors are the only qualified healthcare practitioners

[Butown]

@ArmanZereshkian go whine to someone else

[ArmanZereshkian]

@Butown Typical response when trying to enlighten someone, very well, stay ignorant

[Butown]

@ArmanZereshkian ok your right. ill put it like this: fuck off and go count pills like a monkey and say your a genius.

[Pugzilla69]

You sound like some bitter pharmacy school reject

[Butown]

@Pugzilla69 never went, though anyone who would enter pharmacy school is a reject. kinda like you puggayzilla

[Pugzilla69]

@Butown

Actually im in med school

good day

[Butown]

@Pugzilla69 suck my balls lier. good day

[Pugzilla69]

@Butown Fail troll is fail

[Butown]

@Pugzilla69 you fuck pugs

[Pugzilla69]

@Butown

Don't worry, I get consent

[Butown]

@Pugzilla69 well at least you admit your a homo pig fucker

[619valenzuela]

dam this looks hard

[pharmd718]

I strongly recommend to anyone interested in pharmacy for the money to go around to their local pharmacies and ask if they are hiring. Go to the local hospitals as well and ask if they are hiring pharmacists. You will know what to expect when you finish school. However, if you sincerely love pharmacy then by all means....go to school and get the degree. Just don't expect companies to be falling over themselves trying to hire when you finish.

[pharmd718]

Too many pharmacists are entering the field now. The opening of new schools has led to a flood of pharmacists. When I finished school they were offering sign on bonuses if you worked for them. Now there is a good chance that you will not find work. Many recent grads who do find work have to settle for an evening or midnight shift with reduced hours (which leads to reduced pay). The businesses are calling the shots now and new grads are hurting big time.

[saweet999]

@pharmd718 actually this is true, only reason you aer getting high pay is due to demand, most pharmacist dont retire they just work parttime, look at countries like egypt and india, they have too many pharmacists and a bus driver makes more than them over there.

[kdog909]

If I was a college student, I would avoid pharmacy like the plague, at least until some of the schools close and the job situation stabilizes.

[kdog909]

Dozens of pharmacy schools started to open 3-5 years ago, and now they are churning out pharmacists like crazy. Now, there are pharmacy students graduation with 100K+ debt with no job offers. With the current situation, a lot of pharmacy schools will close due to lack of applicants. Who would apply to pharmacy school if there aren't any jobs left when they graduate?

[kdog909]

The reason why pharmacists' salaries got so high was because there was a nationwide shortage of pharmacists. Different pharmacy chains like Walgreens, CVS, etc. kept increasing the pay to lure pharmacists to their companies. Eventually the salaries entered into the six figures, along with generous sign-on bonuses.

However, the pharmacist shortage is now a thing of the past in most areas.

[mondaymissive]

So basically they do nothing.

[SKITTLESQUADFTW]

@mondaymissive They go to school for 8 years, they do something lol but its rather easy, and average wage is 55 bucks an hour

[bradsdadg]

@mondaymissive Not even close, dude. They do a ton of stuff. They are uber smart when it comes to drugs and drug interactions. They catch things that Doctors miss countless times. Whether it be the wrong dosage, or a bad drug interaction. You have to go through a ton of high level schooling. They also counsel/help their customers a great deal. In a nutshell, they work their butts off all year long for people who aren't always appreciative.

[jmcdougal05]

@mondaymissive Spend some time rounding in a hospital and listen to the things that doctors say. Pharmacists are the drug experts, which is not a huge topic in medical school. This video is on retail pharmacy and does a poor job showing what a retail pharmacist actually does. Retail pharmacy revolves around trust with people and making recommendations for over-the-counter meds and guaranteeing that the medication and dosage is safe for this given person

[ihazdata]

did he just put "may cause drowsiness" on a bottle of sleeping pills?

[Jason1Wang1]

I would disagree that "typically pharmacists spend most of the day standing at a counter dispensing medication." This is what pharmacy technicians do for probably a quarter of their time (the other times, techs are inputting prescriptions, dealing with insurance, or ringing out patients). Pharmacists themselves (in a community setting like Walgreens) are more likely checking prescriptions, giving flu shots, counseling patients, and performing medication therapy management most of the time.

[04291982emgee]

Im a Pharmacist too, it is a great job not just because we earn lots of money. Its is our job to provide information to our patients about the drugs that they being taken. We are life savers too...And Im proud to be a PHARMACIST

[1985icecool]

I'm a pharmacist. This job is worthy. Good money. 4 years to complete my bachelor degree in pharmacy and 3 years in diploma level in university. Join pharmacy.

[dragonfruit102]

fuck the pharmacists..i hate them all,,they act so cocky.

[jonathanedwards537]

Culchie i agree with you, the doctors arrogance really fucks me off so badly.

[WarrenAch]

Pfft,since obama got elected,he wants to make pharmacists make the same income as a burger flipper from McDonalds...i'll just go dentistry for the better job prospects and hours+the easier ways to make your own business.

[njemnu112]

@WarrenAch

swine

[ifosfamid]

Being a pharmacist in the US seems so different from working as a pharmacist here. :P

[fodderoni]

Don't discount your pharmacist, s/he's the guy in the basement of the hospital who carefully formulates your IV and commands your med combinations, they're the go-to guys for that. In actuality, your health lies more in their hands than almost anyone else.

[fodderoni]

Do not confuse pharmacy to only be retail pharmacy. That niche has relegated these professionals to a nightmarish box of limited possibilities. A consultant pharmacist, hospital pharmacist, home infusion pharmacist, anticoagulation or diabetes or digoxin pharmacist--these are all specialties that can be much more interesting. However, retail is a nice immediate high demand job that pays well too.

[fodderoni]

medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, maybe physical chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry

so ya, lots of chemistry!! It's a cool subject though, they even design molecules to fit receptors

[ZX2ManDave]

Think of all the meth you could cook up there.

[linkfanatic13579]

do pharmacist need to work with needles? I'm in my first year of high school and am trying to decide on what I want to become... but I'm deathly afraid of needles

[imahungry2]

they dont HAVE to but most pharmacies now look for pharmacists to become certified to be able to vaccinate people in the clinic.

[e521soediv]

no offense to you pharmacists out there, but this looked like a boring ass job. "Pharmacist spend their day stainding behind the counter for 8 hours and dispensing medication; Also there's alot of paperwork involved" lmao the video made this seem like it's a boring ass job, which is probably is.

[Alize101586]

LOL but at least they get paid a lot. I couldn't do this forever.

[emonypemony]

@e521soediv yeah lol i volunteer at a pharmacy and all i see them do is fill out prescriptions, count tablets, talk to customers and they dont evn hav a chair....

[jget67]

@e521soediv Trust me it is

[FuturePharmD91]

There is no such thing as a subject too hard. It can only be time consuming to understand and apply the concept. I thought I sucked at math, the problem was my foundation. Go ahead and take the lower level class in college to make sure you have the basics down pat and you'll be fine. I'm a Freshman in my universities Pre-Pharmacy program; feel free to send me a message or friend request. Oh and October is National Pharmacists month! lol

[emonypemony]

hey im probably gonna to to pharamcy school and become a pharamcist and my question is...do u have to love science if u want to become a pharamcist? cuz i hate chemistry, physics is ok, bio is easy....so ya

[paradox2776]

you gotta learn to LOVE chemistry. thats your primary focus in terms of science when pursuing this career

[emonypemony]

@paradox2776 @paradox2776 aww man i hate chemistry, i like biology better. and im more of a history geek to be quite honest, i dont kno how well i'll do as a pharmacist

[jget67]

@emonypemony More a love of people. you never use any chemistry once graduated

[jaysmic24]

if a wasnt an R.N. i would've been a pharmacist. they get much more respect than nurses do and the pay is much better and less strenuous on the body physically.

[culchie1982]

The profession bores the arse of me quite frankly..... but I, like most Pharmacists in Northern Ireland got the same grades (and better) than Medics before entering University. You've also got to laugh at the arrogant, condescending attitude of doctors, who clearly just ignore this fact and just see you as a glorified shop- keeper. Really pisses me off.

[amazia100]

that sounds really difficult,i mean they have to learn about all that medicine and what makes it up.I would be afraid to give someone the wrong quantity of tablets.But the salary is good!I wish i was good at Chemistry and Biology.

[junkiefacejunkie]

gutless. spineless.

[aka4god]

I rather work in the hospital setting. I am a 3rd year undergrad student and I've just decided to become a pharmacist because of job the description.

[junkiefacejunkie]

pharmacists r nothin' but self brainwashed drug pushers. did u sell any dexamphetamine to five year old kids today? we all know wot u r & u actually believe you're gonna get away with it.

[superc]

bitter

[EgyptianPrinceCB]

Even though Pharmacy is the popular side of medicine, it seems that in a recession, when ALL jobs of all walks and sorts are getting slashed...

The only guaranteed job FOR LIFE, with STEADY $60/hr income, is pharmacy...

98% of Graduates of Pharmacy reach $80,000 / yr salary after only 8 months of graduation.

Once you own your own practice or become a manager, then you are talking $160,000 to say the least.

Health care is THE best field to work either in it or around it..

[wucool33]

actually the avg. salary for a pharmacist is way more than 80k now... esp. in a community setting.

[EgyptianPrinceCB]

everything else fades in comparison.

+$100,000 / yr for filling in prescriptions.. very limited patient counseling (< 3 minutes on average).. repetitive work that requires little innovation and super IQ to tackle unforseen problems.

So, it's a boring, yet very profitable profession.

Canada is dead on engineering and "innovation" type of jobs because Canada focuses on services, not production due to small population.

Science Ph.D. will make less than a phmarcist!

[Neverender83]

Pharmacy is horrible. I work retail and it's killing my soul.

[UrbanTelevizion]

Is it really horrible? If so why?

[Neverender83]

Some of my coworkers love it. They love interacting with people all day, and being super busy. I'm more introverted, and while I don't mind being super busy all day, it gets exhausting balancing the pressures of the job along with school. I'm a Tech, so I don't make the big bucks like the Pharmacists do, but I still have to take lots of crap from people. I'm sorry to say that my level of compassion for people has decreased after 3 years in retail pharmacy. But any retail job sucks.

[deco101]

Whats the difference between a pharmacy tech and a pharmacist?

[killer5656]

if you have that answer can u let meknoww :P ,,, i was wondering the same thing

[InternetWeed]

BOring!!

[skateboarding118]

meh, I'm in grade 10 now and I really want to become a pharmacist when I grow up. I'm taking extra tutoring classes everyday after school for math/physics, since those are my weakest topics >.>

But someday.... Someday.

[FalloutMessiah]

@skateboarding118

its 2 years later

do you still want to be a pharmacist

and are you going to be one?

[123435454646453434]

@skateboarding118 good thing physics wont be that important!!

[buckamoona]

its less stressful than doctor, its just like normal work, not on demand, etc.. and im pretty sure details on certain medication are given, you dont need to know them by heart?

[bizichyld]

These days, programs train pharmacists with the knowledge of MDs, basically with the exception of the most of the physical exam/diagnostic details. We're expected to know the correct drugs/doses etc. for most disease states in addition to adverse drug reactions, monitoring parameters, and more. However, most retail pharmacists can probably get by without knowing a lot of this stuff.

[donovan2010c]

this seems so boring

[rob062388]

Trust me. Sometimes there are days so busy you wish it was boring.

[parihav]

A six figure salary and almost 100% employment is definitely not "Boring"

[donovan2010c]

i know, i want to be a pharmacist,  but it seems a little boring

[parihav]

Well community pharmacy may become routine, if you are serving one demographic group (the elderly), or are in a slow location. In a busy location, you can expect to do 300-400 prescriptions a day, which makes it very challenging. Besides checking prescriptions, pharmacists have to check for interactions, counsel on random otc questions (you get a lot), answer doctors/nurses questions daily. Work or volunteer in a store beforehand, and you'll experience what the career has to offer.

[DeTr0iTiGeRs]

80000 to do this? maybe this is why everyone wants to be a pharmacist hmm...

[cope]

are they drug screened often?

[marcosEstrello]

And a part of the CONSUMERS job is to MAKE SURE you read the pill bottle, especially in a case where your pills could have gotten mixed up! Med bottles usually describe the shape, color, and indented letter of the pill. Its right on the label. Might save your life.

[xxperfectionisticxx]

That is true. I think I'm just disgruntled that pharmacy (as a profession) is viewed in such a negative light.

But thanks for the comment. I'm glad that you enjoy your job. I don't know what pharmacists would do without techs... you guys are indispensable.

[muhctekdano]

Better put that 'may cause drowsiness' sticker on those sleeping pills!

[devinefist81]

MAKE THAT MONEY...! 120k year

[Frowned]

How good at math do you have to be? Is it worth the amount of years you have to spend in school? Do very many people go into it for the money?

[MasterForm555]

1.) VERY good!

2.) Trust me, it is!

3.) No, considering the long school time.

[devinefist81]

its worth it.. youll be making more than district attorneys. and you wont be having one job either.

[ashleyannx3]

You usually have to take Calculus, and every math class. So if you don't like math and science this is not for you! You can get a PharmD in six years, and for 80,000-120,000 dollars a year, I'd say its very good.

[aclnay]

Be sure to check out some of the high paying oil industry jobs available at Oilcareer com

[Twoteka]

aclnay, oil has no future its about run out

[tojustsmile]

If you're looking for high paying oil industry jobs check out Oilcareer com

[nikewarrior24]

Pharmacy is a lot of chemistry. Do you have to know alot of chem before becoming a Pharmacists.

[godpharmacy]

Great description video :)

[q8SARAHq8]

hey !

i graduated finally :)

but as a pharmacist only not pharmD coz we don't have this degree yet in Kuwait :(

i hope i can find a place to continue my education to get one :)

[khiemdaod]

i'm talking pre-pharmacy courses at 2 year college. admission to pharmacy school so very competitive. i'm so stress out and i don't even start school yet. does anyone that was like me before and now are success? was the career and salary enought to pay back college loan? was the job really hard? i really want to know for a person i'm tire of online job describtion

[tootistheman]

Number one if you're trying to be a pharmacist in the US learn some grammar. And also forget about the salary; its good-- but that's not what it is about.

[khiemdaod]

you are weird! you might want to watch the video itself rather then reading the comments. everyone here is full of enthusiastic but you. don't bother to response

[edmundohillary]

oh yeah? Then what is it about for most pharmacists. I don't think you could truly be passionate about standing behind a counter counting pills. Lets be real.

[Bryantzerox]

It's all about helping people ^^ well, that's the reason I'm pursuing it, anyways XD

[edmundohillary]

Helping people. Hmmmm. You aren't telling the patient what drugs to take, you are retrieving the drugs that the physician is prescribing.

[Bryantzerox]

Actually,

Pharmacists make sure the drugs a patient gets are SAFE. The physician isn't a god; he's a human, and he'll make mistakes. Pharmacists also teach patients about drugs, and help them choose alternatives if they're having problems with their current drugs. A pharmacist is just as important as a doctor... You really don't comprehend what pharmacists do, huh? XD

[edmundohillary]

I don't really understand. Thanks for helping me though. You said that pharmacists help the patient choose alternatives. So can they prescribe medications, or do they simply make suggestions? How would a pharmacist be in a position to do this if they didn't perform the physical examination on the patient and are only privy to one aspect of their medical record,previous medications.

Have you ever seen the seinfeld skit about pharmacists? I think this is how the general public views you all.

[Bryantzerox]

Pharmacists don't have a lot of prescription power at the moment, but I believe in a few states it's changing (they can prescribe things like cough medicine, etc. simple things you shouldn't have to go to the doctor for). About medical records... Pharmacists use those to make sure someone isn't going to take something that will kill them (allergies and things of that nature are listed on the record). Also, sometimes a doctor will unknowingly prescribe two drugs that are deadly together, and

[xxperfectionisticxx]

Thank you!!! I'm currently a pharmacy student and it can get very aggravating when people consider you nothing more than a pill counter. I wish there was some way we could educate the public on a massive level.

[Bryantzerox]

Yeah, I'm a pharmacy student as well ^^ People think it's only about money, which is entirely false. I pursue pharmacy because I have a passion for science (especially chemistry), and I love to help people. Pharmacy is a mixture of those two. ^^ Yeah, I wish there was a way we could educate them as well, but everyone is so fixated on that stereotype.

[PandaBaby51]

im pursuing it for the cash lol

[foonashi]

hey, but not only for cash, cuz working as a pharmacist is easy, i mean, u don't do much work, all u do is stand there, count pills, and give advice. not bad, huh?

[rob062388]

Oh, there's quite a bit of work (and schooling) involved.  There can be very stressful days.

[bizichyld]

Standing in one spot for 8-10 hours every day is no picnic. Not to mention listening to people bitch about their insurance coverage or the fact that the doc forgot to specify the quantity on the script. I'd rather go back to my pizza delivery job!

[04291982emgee]

@PandaBaby51 Im a Pharmacist too, it is a great job not just because we earn lots of money. Its is our job to provide information to our patients about drugs that they being taken. We are life savers too....And Im proud to be a PHARMACIST

[pharmd718]

@PandaBaby51 - Then get ready for a rude surprise. 100k doesn't get you much these days. Especially after taxes. You will have student loans, mortgage or rent, car payment, insurance....etc etc.... Many pharmacists I know work 2 jobs!

[TheMayoHELLO]

@pharmd718

Stop discouraging her. If she wants to become a pharmacist then she can do it. I want to become a pharmacist to and I'm not going to let anyone, especially some person on youtube discourage me. Pharmacy is in high deman, maybe not where you live, but there are many places that need pharmacist or will hire pharmacist.

[pharmd718]

@TheMayoHELLO - I am not trying to discourage anyone. Before i started pharmacy school i researched the demand to insure that ill easily find work so i can support my family. all im trying to do is make others aware that the demand has changed for the worse. This is definitely the fact in the east cost and west cost states. You don't have to believe me....just walk into any chain pharmacy or hospital and ask if they are hiring pharmacists.

[TheMayoHELLO]

@pharmd718

As long as you have sick people...your gonna need pharmacist.

When people stop being sick then maybe then you should worry about the demand going low. Until then pharmacist will be needed.

My teacher is a pharmacist and informed me about it.

[pharmd718]

@TheMayoHELLO - Mayo: your teacher is biased. Every pharmacy professor will tell you the exact same thing. They have a vested interest in keeping pharmacy schools filled. As I mentioned before, I strongly recommend that you do your own research and walk into pharmacies and hospitals and see if they are hiring. Yes, the population is getting older. yes, they will always be a need for a pharmacist....but not a million of them. Currently the supply is more than the demand.

[TheFlanker35]

@TheMayoHELLO,

So many people don't understand what pharmacists actually do and few people actually understand what pharmacists are qualified to do. Pharmacists make it possible for people to take their medicines.

[123onzlo]

@pharmd718 Shut the fuck and stop discouraging people im a pharmacist myself and we get a really good pay and the student loans are not even that high when you start working. And a lot of countries actually lack pharmacists especially america.

[pharmd718]

@123onzlo - that is not true and i highly doubt your a pharmacist....certainly not one that holds a US pharmacy license. Here is how my finances are broken down: 110k per year salary (includes over time) - taxes = 82k. school loan 1600 per month or 19,200. 82k-19k= 63k. mortgage on a condo: 2300 per month = 27,600. 63k-27k = 36k. out of 36k you have car payments, insurance, food, clothing, cell phone bill, internet bill...etc etc.....YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE LEFT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

[recto89]

Thank You I am considering to be a Pharmacy student also. Pharmacy School also requires the same pre-requisites as MD's but you can deal with patients, nurses, Doctors and the health insurance companies at the hospital telling them how a certain medication works or You can help the bio-chemists microbiologists find treatments for diseases at a Biotech lab.

[Bryantzerox]

(cont.) the pharmacists take note of it and inform the doctor, that way no one gets hurt (and a doctor doesn't get sued). Pharmacists do a whole lot of things and have to deal with a lot of rude people XD Just my meager explanation of their job can do justice to what the occupation really is.

[PandaBaby51]

they counsel the pts esp when a doctor is rushed or a pt forgets something. they can give advice on over the counters. they are always voted #1 or #2 as the profession ppl trust the most

[jumong33]

o for goodness' sake, just shut up, if someone wants to be a pharmacist then let them. don't discourage them with your unnecessary opinions. There's a reason why people pursue the job and besides, someone has to do it. Respect that and mind your own business

[Bryantzerox]

Are you talking to me or Edmundo? XD

[jinger4music]

not an easy job, but the technicians do most of the work

[longnecklongbones]

If you don't like being a tech go and DO A DEGREE.

[lov322]

okay that is out the window..

and i wanted to be a pharmacist...

but i suck at math and science!!! :[

[WUTANG826]

im decent and maybe even good at science but math is another story =(

[kurfew1100]

not an ez job!

[cubiclejo]

Thanks for making these informative videos.

[xioda07]

Hmm i got a long way. I hope organic chemistry is okay.

[elmalak2]

A very good educational video about pharmacy practice. I urge every pharmacy student to watch it.

[q8SARAHq8]

Great description video :)

i am a 5th year student and i had a great motivation after watching this

Thanks :)

[parkerPosee]

5th year? I thought PharmD was only 4?

I may be wrong. I'm beraly starting this year...so excited

[parkerPosee]

barely*

[neily25]

The PharmD program is typically 4 years after obtaining science prerequisites, which can take about 2 to 3 years. Many students enter with a Bachelor's degree (or higher).