Pharmacy School

With the current economy, there are a growing number of people turning to different careers.  For many years now, the medical field has been shorthanded in a variety of fields.  With an exciting environment, an opportunity to help people, good pay, stability, and options of advancement, it is no wonder pharmacist training and education has been receiving a lot of attention.

Of course with any career direction, there are always pros and cons but in most cases, the positive side of becoming a pharmacy technician or licenses pharmacist outweighs the negative.  On the downside, because there are not enough pharmacists to meet high and growing demand, many times there are long hours involved, as well as weekends, nights, and even holidays.  However, with so many benefits, pharmacist training and education is certainly something to consider.

The level of education required will depend on whether you want to work as a technician or licensed pharmacist but in both cases, pharmacist training and education is required.  Regardless of the state where you live and plan to work in, you would be mandated to go through special training and education.  For your degree, you would need to complete the required courses from an accredited school, one that is connected with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or ACPE.

In addition, pharmacist training and education includes passing the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam, otherwise known as NAPLEX.  This particular education is designed to test both knowledge and skills specific to the world of pharmacy.  Another aspect of pharmacist training and education now required in 43 states, along with the District of Columbia is passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam or MPJE.  The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy is the educational organization that administers and oversees both of these required examinations.  You will also discover that there are a few states in which specific state exams must be taken.

If you are interested in pharmacist training and education, you should talk to your local college or university to determine the exact courses needed, as well as exams or you can go directly to the state board for pharmacy in the state where you live for information needed.  For instance, if you live in the state of California, once you have received your license to practice pharmaceutical medicine from another state, you would not need to take an additional exam.  Then for the state of Florida, the same rule applies with the exception that you must have passed both the MPJE and the NAPLEX within 12 months of applying to work in that state.

Once you have completed your pharmacist training and education, the majority of states will require you to continue taking courses to keep up to date on new procedures, medications, interactions, etc.  One of the nice aspects of choosing this particular career path is that if you want, you can actually hold a license for more than one state, giving you freedom to move around if so desired.

Another possibility that you might think about is going through a four-year program, in addition to two years of prior college, to earn your Pharm.D.  As a Doctor of Pharmacy, you would gain tremendous knowledge about all facets of the pharmaceutical industry, with heavy emphasis on natural sciences, math, chemistry, physics, biology, social sciences, and humanities.  Typically, to earn a Pharm.D, you would likely be required by the college or university to pass the PCAT, or Pharmacy College Admissions Test.

Keep in mind that when it comes to pharmacist training and education, not only do you have the option of attending a traditional educational institution, but there are also a number of highly qualified online and accredited universities.  Obviously, for people working a full-time job, stay at home parents, or individuals in other situations that makes getting back and forth to campus difficult, online education is a huge benefit.

To obtain the highest level of pharmacy training and education, there is always the Master of Science degree, or Ph.D.  The difference in this case is that while you would still learn all aspects of working in and running a pharmacy, you would also receive in-depth training specific to research and laboratory.  Typically, a person going in this direction would not work in an actual pharmacy setting but focus more on pharmaceutical companies in performing research studies.

Finally, while most people think of pharmacist training and education specific to a technician or licensed pharmacist, there is also the opportunity to focus on a specialized area.  For instance, some people love working with geriatric patients or perhaps children.  In any case, you will find a number of fellowships specific to the pharmacy industry whereby you could participate in a residency program.  As a result, your pharmacy training and education would prepare you for a solid career, one with many different possibilities, as outlined.