The profession of pharmacist is one of those for which studies are necessary.Another profession is a pharmaceutical technician, which requires less time to study, but also has limited competences. How to become a pharmacist?
What does the pharmacist do?
When we think about the workplace of a pharmacist, most often the first thought that appears is work in a pharmacy. So how does the pharmacist work in a pharmacy? Pharmacists primarily advise patients what medicines they can choose, what cheaper substitutes are, which work similarly to the medicine prescribed by the doctor.
To become a pharmacist, you must have a masters degree in pharmacy and an internship in one of the pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies or laboratories. It is an extremely responsible and difficult profession, so it is chosen by very determined people who love chemistry, work as a lab technician and dream of having a permanent, stable and prestigious job. It is a profession that requires certain health predispositions, for example the absence of skin allergies, and you should also have a booklet for sanitary and epidemiological purposes.
Pharmacist’s responsibilities
The pharmacist’s responsibility is also to prepare medicine with a specific composition. Such medicine must have a prescription-compliant composition, which is why focus and attention are important here. Unfortunately, in such cases it is easy to make a mistake while reading the prescription. It is also worth emphasizing that pharmacy employees can often be exposed to various poisonous, chemical substances that are in smaller proportions of such prepared medicines. Pharmacists must also check the expiry date of the products they have in stock at the pharmacy. It is unacceptable to sell expired medicine.
Pharmacists need to be educated all the time because new drugs are constantly being developed, while others may be withdrawn from use. That is why it is so important to broaden your skills and orient yourself in the current situation on the pharmaceutical market. If we want to work in a pharmacy, we must also be aware that this is a shift work, and for some 24-hour outlets we will have to work at night.
How to become a pharmacist?
The path to becoming a pharmacist is not easy. First of all, you need university studies in pharmacy. The emphasis is mainly on chemistry and biology, but students also learn many medical disciplines. It should be emphasized here that these are not easy studies. They include, inter alia, such subjects as: anatomy, biology, botany, chemistry, psychology, sociology, drug chemistry, pharmacotherapy, toxicology, pharmacy history, ethics, research methodology, pharmaceutical law and professional ethics.
In addition, this field is developing really fast, people who will undertake learning this profession must be prepared that it will last properly all the time.
