Pharmacists

Career Description: Compound and dispense medications following prescriptions issued by physicians, dentists, or other authorized medical practitioners.

Industry: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Other Job Titles for Pharmacists:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
• Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage and proper medication storage.
• Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
• Order and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, and drugs, maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly.
• Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, and registries of poisons, narcotics, and controlled drugs.
• Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
• Advise customers on the selection of medication brands, medical equipment and health-care supplies.
• Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of drugs and drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications and characteristics.
• Compound and dispense medications as prescribed by doctors and dentists, by calculating, weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients, or oversee these activities.
• Offer health promotion and prevention activities, for example, training people to use devices such as blood pressure or diabetes monitors.
• Refer patients to other health professionals and agencies when appropriate.
• Prepare sterile solutions and infusions for use in surgical procedures, emergency rooms, or patients' homes.
• Plan, implement, and maintain procedures for mixing, packaging, and labeling pharmaceuticals, according to policy and legal requirements, to ensure quality, security, and proper disposal.
• Assay radiopharmaceuticals, verify rates of disintegration, and calculate the volume required to produce the desired results, to ensure proper dosages.
• Manage pharmacy operations, hiring and supervising staff, performing administrative duties, and buying and selling non-pharmaceutical merchandise.
• Work in hospitals, clinics, or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultants, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
• Assess the identity, strength and purity of medications.
• Teach pharmacy students serving as interns in preparation for their graduation or licensure.
• Publish educational information for other pharmacists, doctors, or patients.
• Supervise the training of student opticians.
• Wash and dress bodies of deceased persons.
• Make appointments, keep records and perform other clerical duties in doctors' offices and clinics.
• Set up equipment and prepare medical treatment rooms.
• Set up 24-hour Holter and event monitors, scan and interpret tapes, and report results to physicians.

Emerging Tasks

• Order and purchase frames and lenses.
• Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' dietary histories, to plan nutritional programs.
• Provide clinical services and health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients and the general public.
• Record and review patient medical histories.
• Fit, dispense, and repair assistive devices, such as hearing aids.
• Perform administrative tasks such as photocopying, filing, and managing office finances (e.g., monitoring budget, handling accounting payable and receivable).
• Plan and conduct treatment programs for clients' hearing, speech, or vertigo problems, consulting with physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other health care personnel as necessary.
• Provide information to the public, and advise educators and other medical staff on speech or hearing topics.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• accept prescriptions for filling
• adhere to safety procedures
• advise clients or customers
• advise governmental or industrial personnel
• analyze chemical experimental, test, or analysis data or findings
• analyze medical data
• analyze scientific research data or investigative findings
• answer customer or public inquiries
• apply drug information to patient treatment
• assign work to staff or employees
• calculate medical dosages
• calculate radiation dosage, following physician's prescription
• collect scientific or technical data
• communicate technical information
• compile numerical or statistical data
• compound pharmaceuticals or medical preparations
• conduct analyses or tests of organic compounds
• conduct laboratory research or experiments
• conduct standardized qualitative laboratory analyses
• conduct standardized quantitative laboratory analyses
• create mathematical or statistical diagrams or charts
• demonstrate or explain assembly or use of equipment
• develop policies, procedures, methods, or standards
• develop tables depicting data
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• dispense prescribed medications and pharmaceuticals
• distinguish colors
• explain complex mathematical information
• explain uses or effects of drugs
• follow confidentiality procedures
• follow infectious materials procedures
• follow safe waste disposal procedures
• hire, discharge, transfer, or promote workers
• interpret prescriptions
• inventory medical supplies or instruments
• inventory stock to ensure adequate supplies
• label pharmaceutical supplies
• maintain customer records
• maintain established procedures concerning quality assurance
• maintain record of medication or equipment dispensed to patient
• maintain records, reports, or files
• make presentations
• measure, weigh, or count products or materials
• mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
• monitor worker performance
• obtain information from clients, customers, or patients
• obtain information from individuals
• order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
• plan or organize work
• prepare sterile solutions, infusions, or intravenous packs
• provide advice on food or drug storage or use
• provide customer service
• refer patients to community resources
• sell merchandise
• store pharmaceutical supplies or filled prescriptions
• teach individuals work-related techniques or skills
• understand drug products
• understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
• understand pharmaceutical formulas
• understand properties of gases or liquids
• understand properties or composition of drugs
• use chemical testing or analysis procedures
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use health or sanitation standards
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use knowledge of metric system
• use laboratory equipment
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use quality assurance techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use relational database software
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• use scientific research methodology
• use spreadsheet software
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work as a team member
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• write technical health or medical documents

Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$48.31
• Average annual wage (2007) - $100,480.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 21.72%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 52,882
• Employment (2006): 243,482

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