Community Pharmacist |
Career OverviewThe responsibilities of a community pharmacist include several diverse and important jobs. A community pharmacist is first and foremost a resource to patients and a professional that provides information about the various medications that have been prescribed by a physician of other medical care worker.
A community pharmacist may be the only medical practitioner that the patient speaks with if they cannot afford a visit to the doctor or don’t feel the condition is serious enough for a doctor or hospital visit.
The community pharmacist may be asked several questions about health conditions and may be asked to recommend treatments and therapies. This may include visits to a specialist or physician but may also include over-the-counter remedies that are less costly and may be just as effective in treating the patient’s condition.
The community pharmacist usually works for a small independent pharmacy or drug store or may work for a larger chain store pharmacy or a pharmacy in a department or grocery store. The community pharmacist should have excellent people skills and should be willing to spend time to ensure that customers and prescription customers have all the information that they require about conditions and medications.
Community pharmacists may also be able to recommend alternative generic medications for those patients that are not able to afford the more expensive prescribed name-brand medication.
Excellent record keeping skills and knowledge of laws and regulations governing the sale and dispensing of the various medications is critically important for a community pharmacist. More recently some states have passed regulations to allow community pharmacists with training to administer flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
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Career RequirementsDepending on the state that the community pharmacist practices in they will be required to have a Doctor in Pharmacy and have successfully completed the NAPLEX and MPJE examinations. He or she must have a current license issued by the state and may also be required to have specialized certification to provide vaccinations or other services.
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Job OutlookThe need for community pharmacists continues to expand as more and more individuals are using medicines in therapies and outpatient treatment. The rising cost of healthcare has further increased the need for qualified and experienced community pharmacists that can help patients and customers with information on health treatments and concerns.
It is estimated by the United States Department of Labor that the demand for pharmacists will continue to increase over the next several years. This trend will continue until the number of graduates from Pharm-D programs matches the number of vacancies currently in the marketplace.
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Career TrackA community pharmacists working in a small privately owned drug store has several options. They may choose to buy into the management of the store or may establish their own community pharmacy after they have gained experience.
Community pharmacists that work for chain pharmacies and department stores often move into management positions either within the store or within the larger chain management. Some community pharmacists will return to teaching positions at schools of pharmacy.
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CompensationThe average salary for a community pharmacist working in a department store or drugstore chain in the United States is $83,000 to $90,000 per year. Often the hours are longer than a 40 hour week and there may be some evening and weekend work at least until the community pharmacist has seniority.
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