Pharmacotherapist |
Career OverviewA pharmacotherapist is a pharmacist that responds to the needs of the patient by providing drug therapies in consultation with a health treatment team. The pharmacotherapist is involved in all aspects of care for the patient and may work with the health care team to visit the patient both prior to and after treatment.
A pharmacotherapist is an essential component of the team approach to healthcare and patient treatment. The pharmacotherapist is the information source on new medicines and drug therapies that may impact or significantly increase the successful recovery or treatment of the patients. Doctors and nurses are often not aware of the latest research so they rely on the pharmacotherapist to provide up to date information.
The pharmacotherapist works with the patients and the patient’s families to understand the proper dosages and procedures for using the medication or drug therapy. The pharmacotherapist may meet in person with the families or may provide direct instruction to the patient and written material for the families or caregivers.
A pharmacotherapist must be very informed of new trends in pharmacotherapy and treatment options. They should have excellent communication skills and should enjoy working directly with patients, the public, and other medical staff. In addition the pharmacotherapist should be able to use all forms of medication tracking used in the hospital and should complete all required tracking logs or data entry regarding the prescription and use of medications.
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Career RequirementsA pharmacotherapist is a licensed pharmacist and must have a state certified license to practice pharmacy. They will have to have completed a Doctor in Pharmacy which is a four year degree, and may have also completed two or three years of post-secondary education. Many pharmacotherapists may have also completed a residency program.
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Job OutlookThe need for pharmacotherapists continues to increase as the ongoing trend in medical treatment is to use a treatment team approach rather that just having a physician involved.
While demand for hospital based pharmacotherapists is not as great as some of the community based pharmacists it still is a constant demand that is above average for other medical professions. According the United States Department of Labor this trend will continue to increase at least until the year 2014.
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Career TrackA pharmacotherapist may choose to enter virtually any other field of pharmacy. Many pharmacotherapists remain in clinical or hospital settings but move into management positions within the pharmacy. This allows for fewer on-call or rotational hours but still allows the pharmacotherapist to interact with patients and staff.
The demand for experienced pharmacotherapists at pharmacy colleges across the United States is very high. There is currently a deficit in the number of faculty members at these schools and new faculty is always required.
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CompensationMost pharmacotherapists that work in hospitals earn between $83,000 and $90,000 per year. The top ten percent of these individuals, usually those in management, can earn over $110,000 per year. These higher salaries also reflect working in larger and more prestigious hospitals.
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