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Pharmacists are no longer seen merely as people who count and dispense medications – but rather, they have grown into an integral part of the patient’s treatment process.
Since many people now see more than one doctor or specialist, the risk of contradicting medications and prescriptions has skyrocketed, although the doctors dispensing the medications might never realize this. However, as it is the pharmacist who dispenses the medications, they will be relied upon to catch something that the doctor may have missed.
Training and Education for Pharmacists
| In addition, if a patient has questions or concerns about any medications they're on, they'll often bring this issue up with their pharmacists instead of their regular physicians. This increasing amount of patient interaction means that pharmacists today have to have a more in-depth education and training experience before they're ready to practice. Consequently, colleges have moved away from the standard bachelor’s of pharmacy degree in order to provide a more comprehensive education for future pharmacists. |
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| Pharmacists are responsible for dispensing medicines. |
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Now, students are required to go through a more difficult program known as the Pharm.D. degree before they are allowed to become practicing pharmacists. The colleges who award this degree are governed by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), which provides specific guidelines about which classes students must take before registering for the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and being admitted to a Pharm.D. program.
This newer degree combines aspects of the standard sciences associated with the old pharmacy degree with the more social side of the occupation through courses in the humanities and social sciences, since in today’s world, a pharmacist who can't effectively communicate with their clients can't be utilized to their full potential.
Those pharmacists who are looking to get into either the academic field or research pharmacology will have to continue their education with either a master’s of science or a Ph.D. in pharmacy, following completion of the Pharm.D. degree. These programs will likely have their own admissions process, so it's important to check and see what each one requires of its applicants.
Upon completing the Pharm.D. degree, prospective pharmacists will then have to pass licensing exams administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). One of these tests – the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) – is required in all fifty states. The other test, however, is only required in forty-four of the fifty states as is called the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE). After a pharmacist has been certified to practice in the United States, every state except California will allow them to use their previously granted credentials.
After receiving his or her license, a pharmacist will have to take continuing education classes in order to renew their certification every year. These courses are intended to keep pharmacists up-to-date on the latest prescriptions and drug therapies. As the patient's first line of defense against contraindicated drugs, a pharmacist must be knowledgeable about the effects of both new and existing pharmaceuticals – which is especially important given the rapid rate at which pharmaceutical companies are releasing new medicines.
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