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Pharmacists are health professionals who practice pharmacy. In their best known role, pharmacists typically take a request for medicines from a physician in the form of a medical prescription and dispense the medication to the patient. Pharmacists have many areas of expertise and are a critical sources of medical knowledge in clinics, hospitals, and community pharmacies throughout the world.
Pharmacists are sometimes small-business owners, owning the pharmacy in which they practice. This unique dichotomy is often the subject of debate within the profession - in part due to the perception of pharmacists as "common shopkeepers" by many in the community. In actuality, while many pharmacists do "keep shop" they are also very skilled and specialized individuals with specifice knowledge that makes them a vital part of any healthcare team. They act as a learned intermediary between patients and physicians to ensure that proper medical therapy is chosen and implemented in the best way possible.
Pharmacists are sometimes referred to as "chemists". This term is a historical one, since pharmacists originally were required to complete an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PhC) and were known as "Pharmaceutical Chemists". While the term is widely used in the United Kingdom (such as in the UK pharmacy chain 'Boots The Chemist' - see Boots Group), and other countries using British English, it is unknown in the United States and usage is likely to cause confusion with practitioners in the field of Chemistry.
Qualifications
The basic requirement for pharmacists to be considered for registration is an undergraduate or postgraduate Pharmacy degree from a recognised university. In most countries this involves a four-year course to attain a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree.
In Britain, integration with the European Union has resulted in the BPharm course being superseded by a four-year course for the qualification Master of Pharmacy (MPharm). In Australia, apart from the four-year BPharm course, there is the option of a postgraduate 2-year MPharm course for those with undergraduate science degree.
In the United States, pharmacists must complete a pre-pharmacy undergraduate program. This program consists of a minumum of 100 hours of undergraduate coursework in basic and advanced sciences, but most students go on to complete a four year program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, chemistry, or a similar field (about 130 hours). Following that, the pharmacist will then complete a four year pharmacy program. They will be awarded a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree upon completion of the program. This degree is equivalent to that earned by a medical doctor (MD) from a traditional medical school. Then a pharmacist will complete an optional post-graduate residency (one to three years) or otherwise enter into the pharmacy practice of their choice, ex. hospital, compounding, nuclear, hospice, community, retail, etc. In the United States, people must pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination, or NAPLEX, and an additional state exam before they can acquire a license to practice pharmacy in that state. It was created by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP).
Pharmacists are trained in fields including pharmacology, chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacy practice (including drug interactions, medicine monitoring, medication management), pharmaceutics, pharmacy law, physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, kinetics, nephrology, hepatology, and compounding medications. Additional curriculum covers basic diagnosis with emphasis on therapeutics and prescribing (selecting the most appropriate medication for a given patient).
Registration
In order to practise as a pharmacist, the person must be registered with the relevant statutory body, which governs the registration and practice of pharmacy within the territory of its jurisdiction. There is often a requirement for the pharmacy graduate to have completed a certain number of hours of experience in a pharmacy, under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. The statutory body will usually administer a written and oral examination to the prospective pharmacist prior to registration.
In Great Britain, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is responsible for regulation of pharmacy affairs. Graduates must complete one year of practical training in a pharmacy prior to eligibility to sit the registration examination.
In the United States, a person must pass the Naplex examination before they can practice pharmacy.
Roles
Pharmacists are often the first point-of-contact for patients with health enquiries. This means that pharmacists have large roles in the primary healthcare of patients.
These roles include, but are not limited to:
- clinical medication management
- specialized monitoring of simple and complex disease states
- reviewing medication regimens
- monitoring of treatment regimens
- general health monitoring
- compounding medicines
- general health advice
- providing specific education to patients about disease states and medications
- oversight of dispensing medicines on prescription
- provision of non-prescription medicines
- counselling and advice on optimal use of medicines
- advice and treatment of common ailments
- referral to other health professionals if necessary
- dosing drugs in renal and hepatic failure
- pharmacokinetic evaluation
- education of physicians on medications and their proper use
- prescribing medications in collaboration with other healthcare professionals
- providing pharmaceutical care
Specialities
Specialties exist within the pharmacy profession, much as in the medical profession. The primary factor resulting in specialisation is the place of occupation. Such specialities include:
- Clinical pharmacist
- Community pharmacist
- Hospital pharmacist
- Consultant pharmacist
- Home Health pharmacist
- Locum pharmacist
- Drug information pharmacist
- Regulatory-affairs pharmacist
- Industrial pharmacist
- Academic pharmacist
See also
External links
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