About The Pharmacy
Pharmacy; It is an academic discipline that includes the science and technique of preparing, distributing and reviewing drugs and providing additional clinical services. Since many of the drugs used in the health sector are produced by pharmaceutical companies, professional practices are clinically directed. According to the current situation, pharmacies are classified as community pharmacy or institutional pharmacy. Providing direct patient care in the community of institutional pharmacies is considered clinical pharmacy.
Career Paths for Pharmacy Degree Majors
Career opportunities for newly graduated pharmacists are;
-
Personal Pharmacy,
-
Hospital Pharmacy and Clinics,
-
Pharmaceutical Industry,
-
In cosmetics companies,
-
In Forensic Medicine Institutions,
-
In Pharmaceutical Warehouses,
-
Industrial Pharmacy Institutions (Production, Testing, R&D, Epidemiology, Pharmacoepidemiology),
-
In Clinical Research Laboratories,
Can find employment opportunities. Continuing an academic life is also an option for those studying pharmacy and they can work at universities as instructors.
People who receive an average of 5 years of education around the world have the opportunity to start their careers when they graduate from the faculty of pharmacy. For those who want to specialize in a field, graduate programs are required. Those who want to become a pharmacist must graduate from a 5-year pharmacy undergraduate program and complete their compulsory internship. Those who do not complete their 6-month compulsory internship cannot open a pharmacy and work as pharmacy technicians in hospitals, even after they graduate.
What Skills Do I Need to Become a Pharmacy?
When we look at the skills that pharmacists should have, it is necessary to look at the duties of pharmacists. The main duties of pharmacists are as follows:
-
To inform patients in detail about the prescribed drugs.
-
Suggesting and selling medicines according to the complaints of the patients. (Only over-the-counter drugs)
-
To measure blood pressure. It is to perform first aid to people with low or high blood pressure.
-
Preparing weekly and monthly pharmacy files.
-
Processing controlled drug prescriptions on the computer.
-
Informing patients about medical equipment.
-
To act in accordance with the patient's right to privacy.
-
Preparing chemotherapy drugs and solutions
In addition, pharmacists together with this whole process
-
To maintain order in the pharmacy.
-
Instruct both patients and nurses on the use of drugs and medical equipment.
-
To determine the days off and working hours of the employees in the pharmacy.
-
Checking that medicines are properly stored.
-
Changing expired drugs. Dispose of expired drugs in accordance with the procedure.
-
To classify green and red prescription drugs.
It has duties such as preparing a tender list and following up the work.
Considering all duties and responsibilities, it can be said that people who are careful, hardworking, have good human relations, enjoy their job and are interested in pharmacology and chemistry can be successful as pharmacists.
Is the Pharmacy Department Right for Me?
Pharmacy vocational education strives to prepare future professionals for the business life they will work in and to gain the ability to do things for the benefit of the society they live in. A university graduate is expected to be ready for professional life with his knowledge and skills and to always lead the society. Universities have the most important mission of trying to provide education and training that is as close to the sectoral elements of current life as possible and that provides information that is suitable for their needs. In this context, they need to adapt to faculties that aim to equip young people who prefer the profession of pharmacy with up-to-date medicine and health information by using theoretical and practical applications, and to train them as pharmacists who contribute to the society they live in. It is important to ensure that the graduates are at a level to be able to undertake the duties expected from a pharmacist at the national and global level, and to be able to apply them during their graduation.
It is important for idealists to read the pharmacy department for the future of the profession and for the education process not to be difficult. The prestige of the profession is in a position where idealistic people are successful. At the same time, it is known that people with strong human relations are more successful in this profession. People who want it for monetary gain will not be able to achieve the success they want in the pharmacy department, as in every profession. When the idea of helping people is prioritized here, the profit will increase. The pharmacy department, which covers an average of 5 years of education in the world, means a difficult education life when the details such as plant and drug names in Latin are considered. Pharmacy will not be a suitable profession for people who are not interested in these.
Study Pharmacy in USA
Studying pharmacy in the United States is only possible after completing a bachelor's degree in life sciences major. A pre-pharmacy program of approximately 2 years and a bachelor of pharmacy program of approximately 4 years is required. Some schools prefer that prospective students have a bachelor's degree before applying.
Pharmacy classes cover many different fields, from biology and chemistry to anatomy and physiology. Undergraduate programs also consist of, in rare cases, biochemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology and toxicology. To obtain a license in pharmacy, it is necessary to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).
Advantages of Studying Pharmacy in USA
Students who will study pharmacy in the USA expect many advantages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of employment opportunities for pharmacists living in the United States has increased by 14 percent. And this number, which is expected to increase over time, shows that there is a high opportunity to find a job for students studying there.
Increasing access to health insurance, an aging population makes it very advantageous to study pharmacy in America, which is home to the best universities in the world, where the demand for pharmacists will increase and it is thought to be one of the professions of the future due to various factors.
There is no doubt that the pharmacy profession offers many opportunities and has many open doors for future career paths. People who are not confined to a particular industry as a pharmacist may be in the hospital, pharmaceutical industry, government agency, or better yet, at the point where they may decide to start their own company.
Pharmacists looking to expand themselves in terms of skills and certification training may consider enrolling in some of the relevant programs offered by the American Pharmacist Association, or they may still decide to pursue a master's degree such as a PhD.
How Long Does It Take to Study Pharmacy in the USA?
Postgraduate programs are often offered in a variety of ways, allowing students to complete their program in a short time. Postgraduate programs usually last six to seven years and are well suited for students who have a clear understanding of what their future career will bring and who want to finish their studies early.
Although there are different ways for pharmacy education in America, it can be said that a 6-year education is required in general. A typical, stand-alone program takes about four years to complete. Those who have previously completed a bachelor's degree will take about eight years to become a pharmacist, but those who are accepted into the program after two to three years of undergraduate study may have the opportunity to practice a little sooner than they expect.
The Best Universities to Study Pharmacy in USA
The most prestigious schools that come to mind when it comes to pharmacy education in America are as follows:
-
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina ranks first on our list of the best pharmacy schools in the USA for 2021. The University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy has three different degree programs:
The Pharm.D. It is a professional degree similar to the medical doctor (MD) for physicians or the doctor of dental surgery (DDS) for dentists. The Ph.D. Health system specialization program in pharmacy management prepares pharmacists to become leaders in healthcare. Combines classroom training with a two-year residency. The program also prepares tomorrow's scientists for basic or clinical research. Doctoral degrees The program has four concentrations that reflect their collaborative approach to science.
-
University of Southern California
The school offers a wide range of diploma and certificate programs, from the largest in the school, the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), to master's and doctoral programs with many possibilities for joint and dual degrees. Residence and scholarship opportunities offered by the school are also numerous.
The USC School of Pharmacy is organized into four university departments, each recognized for its outstanding faculty and leadership in pharmacy education and research:
-
Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy
-
Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
-
Lecturer in the Department of Pharmaceutical Health Economics based at the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics
-
Department of Regulation and Quality Sciences.
Pharmacy Admission Requirement in USA
Typically, a pharmacist in training goes through two different pathways as needed to complete the educational requirements. The first option is to complete prerequisite undergraduate courses before moving on to the next program. Before entering an undergraduate program, students need to have an idea of which graduate program they will pursue. The four-year undergraduate program consists of general education and liberal arts courses, with two years focusing on pharmacy-related courses.
As part of further education requirements, students are required to take courses in organic chemistry, human anatomy and physiology, molecular and cellular biology, microbiology, statistics, mathematics and English.
Some programs require it. Some programs may require more than one semester to complete, and upon completion, students may apply for a four-year doctoral program. After completing the undergraduate program, a graduate program follows. This program is a combined option that combines all courses in one program.