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Typically,
a
pharmacist's task is to take a patient's request for medicines (in the
form of a medical prescription) given by a health care provider or
physician. They evaluate the correctness of the prescription, dispense
the medication to the patient, and explain to them the proper use of
the medicine, its side effect if any, and the harmful effects if used
inappropriately. The pharmacist is the bridge between the physician and
the patients that ensure medications are used effectively and safely.
However,
a pharmacist's role is continually evolving, in tune with the changing
times. Now, pharmacists are also involved in pharmaceutical care. They
are now taking direct responsibility for patients, working closely with
the physician, in order to gain better understanding of the relevance
and effectiveness of the medicine they're giving to the patient.
As
a result, the pharmacist, now more than ever, has more
responsibilities. Companies looking to hire them will prefer to hire
experienced applicants or those that come from highly regarded
pharmacist schools. Pharmacist education is very important in the
healthcare industry because of their critical role.
If you
are looking to become a pharmacist, and are looking at the different
pharmacy schools available, your primary concern should be to make sure
they're accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education
(ACPE), or at least approved by the state board of pharmacy.
Accreditation
is very important because that is the system that evaluates and ensures
the quality of education in pharmacist schools and in pharmacist
schools online. The system also ensures the programs are in accordance
with the standards set out by the American Council on Pharmaceutical
Education.
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Traditionally,
graduates
of pharmacy schools were given the pharmacy degree of Bachelor of
Pharmacy. But in 1990, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
(AACP) gave a directive that a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) would be
the new professional degree to be given to graduates of pharmacist
schools, beginning with the class of 2006.
The Doctor of
Pharmacy degree can have different curriculums because schools give
different emphasis on what area of pharmacy work they will cover. This
is why you should also check the details of the program of the
pharmacist schools you are considering.
Once you have
graduated and finished the requirements of your internship, you will be
eligible to take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination
(NAPLEX), and in some states, you also need to pass the Multi-state
Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE). For individuals who wish to
practice their profession in the US but have gained their pharmacist
education from pharmacy schools in other countries, application for
certification must be made to the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination
Committee (FPGEC). Then they must pass a series of examinations like
the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE), Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, and Test of Spoken English
(TSE) exam. After passing these exams, they are then eligible to take
the NAPLEX and MPJE.
Gaining your pharmacist degree from a
reputable and accredited pharmacist school is your prescription towards
a high pharmacy salary and a successful and rewarding pharmacy career.
You will have a far better chance of passing those series of
examinations if you choose your pharmacist school well, together with
the pharmacy program they're offering. It's your career, it's your
choice!
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