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WorksCited

ComparePrePharmacyStudiesDegrees

.BestCollegesOfferingPrePharmacyStudies
Degrees.N.p.,n.d.
Web.03Apr.2015.

ExploreHealthCareers.org.

Pharmacist.N.p.,n.d.
Web.03Apr.2015.

McKay,DawnRosenberg.ReadersRespond:TheRealLifeofaPharmacist

.N.p.,n.d.
Web.03Apr.2015.

PharmacySchoolsinCalifornia,OnlinePharmacyDegrees

.USPharmDRSS.N.p.,n.d.
Web.03Apr.2015.

Pharmacists,WhenShouldIStartApplyingforJobs?

Reddit.N.p.,n.d.
Web.03Apr.2015.

Pharmascope.orgTop10QualitiesofaGreatPharmacist

.Pharmascope.orgTop10Qualities
ofaGreatPharmacist.N.p.,03Apr.2015.
Web.03Apr.2015.

Summary."U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics

.U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,n.d.
Web.03Mar.2015.

TheJobMarketforPharmacistsHasTakenanUglyTurn

.JerryFahrni.N.p.,24Aug.2013.
Web.03Apr.2015.

U.S.FoodandDrugAdministration

.CompoundingandtheFDA:QuestionsandAnswers.N.p.,
n.d.
Web.03Apr.2015.


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DylanDang
Dadabhoy
CPEnglish2
24February2015
MyCareer:Pharmacist
Asasophomore,nowisagoodtimetostartlookingintowhatcareeryouwanttomajor
inandbewhenyoubegincollege.WhenIbegincollege,IwanttomajorinpharmacybecauseI
wanttofindcurestoillnessesthathavenotbeendiscovered.Forexample,Iwanttoexperiment
withmanytypesofmedicinebecausetheremaybewaystopreventcancerorotherillnessesso
thatthevictimcanlivelonger.However,inordertobeapharmacist,aPh.Dordoctoraldegreeis
required,meaningmanyyearsofschool.AlthoughobtainingaPh.Dordoctoraldegreeis
challenging,Iacceptthischallengebecauseitwillchangemyperspectiveonhealthcare
occupationsandeducatememore.Medicinegivesmeadesiretolearnhowtomakecustom
medicationbymixingingredients,aprocesscalledcompounding.IwanttobecomeaPharmacist
becausemedicineisfascinating.Itmakesmecuriousastohowandwhereitwascreated.Ithink
thisfieldwouldbenefitme,becauseIusuallygetsickandifIcantpurchasemedicine,Icanjust
mixingredientstogethertomakemedicine.Inaddition,compoundingisessentialbecausethe
patientmayhaveanallergyandwillneedthemedicationtobemadewithoutacertaintypeof
dyeorifthepatientcannotswallowpillsandneedsthemedicineintheformofaliquid.
Tobeginwith,pharmacistsgivepatientsprescriptionmedicine,instructingthepatients
howtoconsumetheprescriptionmedicine.Also,pharmacistsanalyzeiftheprescribedmedicine
willactnegativelywithotherdrugsthepatientistaking.Inaddition,theyinformthepatient


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abouttheprobablesideeffectsthepatientmayexperience.Nottomention,pharmacistscanalso
givevaccinationsandflushots.Typically,pharmacistsworkwithinsurancecompaniesto
ensurethattheirpatientswillgettheirmedicine(U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics).Besidesthat,
theyobservetheworkofpharmacytechniciansorinterns.Pharmacistsrecommendpatientson
thechoicesofmedicationbrands,medicalequipmentorhealthcaresupplies(U.S.Bureauof
LaborStatistics).Somepharmacistsmanagetheirowndrugstoreorworkinretailstores.
Moreover,hospitalpharmaciesareopen24hoursaday,howevertheywilllikelywork40hours
perweekdependingondayornightshift.IwouldliketoworkduringdaytimebecauseIwould
behomeintimetoseemyfamily.Ithinkthehardestpartofbeingapharmacistismixing
ingredientstogethertomakemedicinebecausemistakesarelikelytooccur.Inaddition,having
frequentmistakesmeansthattheremustbemoreexperimenting,whichistimeconsuming.
Inordertobehappywiththecareeryouhavechosen,youneedpersonalcharacteristics.
Asapharmacist,thepersonalcharacteristicsneededare:communicationskills,analyticalskills,
goodmemory,conscientiousness,interestincontinuingeducation,andscientificaptitude(Top
10QualitiesofaGreatPharmacist).Greatpharmacistsareabletocommunicatewithpatients
despitethelanguagebarrier.Also,analyticalskillsarebeneficialbecausepharmacistscaneasily
reachtoaconclusionbasedontheinformationtheyaregiven.Possessinggoodmemoryisa
characteristicthatisvitalbecausetherearehundredsofdrugs,sideeffectsandinteractions(Top
10QualitiesofaGreatPharmacist).Aninterestincontinuingeducationisnecessarybecause
thereareconsistentlynewresearchanddevelopmentsintheindustry.Asapharmacist,having
backgroundinscience,includingchemistry,biologyandbiochemistry,prepareyouforthe
upcomingnewscientificconcepts.Pharmacistsmustrealizethateveryaspectoftheirworkcan


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affectapatientshealth.Therefore,pharmacistshavetobeawareofwhattheyaredoingatall
times(ThiscareerfitsmypersonalitybecauseIhavegoodmemory.Goodmemoryisan
importanttraitbecausepharmacistsneedtorememberdrugnomenclature,sideeffectsand
interactionsbetweenpillswhichissometimesalifeanddeathprerequisiteforthejob.Themain
reasonwhyIchosetobeapharmacistisbecauseIwanttohelppeoplethatareinneedofhelp.
Inordertoprepareforthecareerofapharmacist,thereareclassesthatcanhelpinhigh
school.APClassesarebeneficialbecausetheymaymeetthePrePharmacyCurriculum.Pre
Pharmacyisa2yearcoursethatpharmacystudentsmusttakeinordertobeconsideredfor
admissiontotheprofessionalPharmD.programortheB.S.PharmacologyandToxicology
program(ComparePrePharmacyStudiesDegrees).ThecoursesthatwillmeetthePre
PharmacyCurriculumare:Chemistry,Biology,AlgebraIandII,Geometry,Trigonometry,
Calculus,English,History,ForeignLanguageandComputerProgramming(Compare
PrePharmacyStudiesDegrees)basicallypreparatoryclasses.Thebestcollegesofferingpre
pharmacystudiesdegreesareallindifferentstates.IwouldliketoattendWashingtonState
Universityandtheuniversityhaving27,642totalstudentsdoesntmatterbecausetheacceptance
rateishighandtheuniversityisoneofthetoppharmaceuticalcolleges.AnothercollegeIwould
liketoattendisTheCollegeofIdahobecausethereareonly1,122totalstudents,andthe
acceptancerateis90.5%.
Theenvironmentofthepharmacydependsonitslocation,orphysicallayoutofthe
premisestotheattitudesandservicesprovided.Pharmacistsusuallyworkinclean,welllitand
wellventilatedareas.Manypharmacistsspendmostoftheirdaystandingontheirfeet(Readers
Respond:TheRealLifeofaPharmacist).Whentheyworkwithsterileorpotentiallydangerous


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products,pharmacistsweargloves,masksandotherspecialprotectiveequipment.Many
communitiesandhospitalpharmaciesareopenduringtheevening,nightsandevenholidays.
Also,consultantpharmacistsmayeventraveltootherfacilitiestomonitorpatientsdrugtherapy.
Mostfulltimepharmacistsworkaround40hoursaweek.Accordingtoanactualpharmacistthat
worksintheCaribbean,thejobisverystressfulbecausethepeoplethatcometothedispensary
areimpatientandactrudely(ReadersRespond:TheRealLifeofaPharmacist).Also,the
pharmacistthatworksintheCaribbeansaysthatthemarketisfloodedwith
pharmacists(ReadersRespond:TheRealLifeofaPharmacist),thatmeanstheonlywaytobe
hiredistolivesomewhereunpopulated.
Inthepharmacyoccupation,aworkershouldgenerallystartsearchingforanyjobfairsat
theircollege.Also,keepingincontactwithallofyourinternshipsorpreceptorswouldbe
beneficialinsearchingforanyavailablejobs.Thelowest10percentofpharmacistsearnless
than$89,280andthetop10percentearnsmorethan$145,910annually.ProfessionalLiability
insuranceiscoverageforapharmacistthatprovidesprotectionintheeventaclaimismade
againstapharmacistinvolvinganactualorallegederrororomissionwhilecarryingouthisor
herdutiesthatarewithinthescopeofpracticeforapharmacist(AmericanSocietyof
HealthSystemPharmacists).Scopeofpracticeisdefinedbyyourstatestatuteandlicensing
board(AmericanSocietyofHealthSystemPharmacists).Theinsuranceprovidesyouwithyour
ownattorney,paysallreasonablecostsincurredinthedefenseorinvestigationofacovered
claim,paysyouforlostwages,providesreimbursementforattorneyfeesorinvestigativecosts
andpayscertaincourtcosts.Thisoccupationismorethanenoughtoprovideenoughincomefor


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metoliveaccordingtomyexpectations.Thesalaryofapharmacistisdecentandtheworkhours
arenotlong.
Findingajobinpopularcitiesareveryhardbut,ifyougotothecountry,youcanfind
jobsanywhere.AccordingtoJerryFharni,therewasatimewherehecouldhavefoundhalfa
dozenpharmacistjobopeningsinoneafternoonandnowhecan'tevenfindone(JerryFahrni).
Fharnihasbeenapharmacistforover16yearsandhewasjustlaidoff.Hesearchedfor
pharmacyjobsandonlyfoundsome50milesawayfromhishouse.Sothebottomlineisthis,
itsnotagreattimetobeapharmacistoutofwork.Inever,everthoughttherewouldcomea
timewhenfindingworkasapharmacistwouldtakeanythingmorethanaquickphonecall.I
wonderwhatallthenewgradsthatjustgotoutofpharmacyschoolaredoing,saidJerry.Allin
all,pharmacyjobsareveryhardtofindincrowded,popularareasandnotashardinuncrowded
areas.
Inconclusion,IthinkthisoccupationwouldberightformebecauseIwanttohelppeople
thatareinneed,perhapsfindcuresortreatmentstocertainillnessesanddiseasesthathavenot
beenfoundyet,suchasincertaintypesofcancer.Also,medicineisveryfascinatingtome
becauseasakidandtothisday,IgetsickoftenandIwanttofigureouthowmedicineismade.
ThejobofapharmacistfitsmypersonalitybecauseIamalwayseagertolearn,sinceitis
enjoyable.IalwaysthinktomyselfthatifIbecomeapharmacistandItravelsomewhereorIam
notnearanymedicineandsomeoneisill,Icanfindotherways,suchasthingsaroundmeto
createmedicine.


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