By Eva Briggs, MD
Pharmacists are an often-overlooked part of the healthcare team. Many people think that a pharmacist’s job is limited to counting pills or measuring liquids, putting them into bottles and handing them to the patient. But the role of a pharmacist is actually much more involved.
First, what education or training is required? Pharmacy school is four years long and leads to a Pharm. D. degree. The prerequisite to entering pharmacy school is generally a minimum of two years of college courses, although many students complete three years or finish a four-year undergraduate college degree. Prerequisite courses include anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, physics, psychology, calculus, statistics and often communications and humanities courses.
Fortunately, for qualified applicants the acceptance rate for pharmacy school in the U.S. is around 85% to 90%. Of course, attending pharmacy school, like any college, is expensive.
According to the State University of New York Binghamton School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the annual cost for tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc., is $31,430 for New York state residents and $43,610 for non residents. And that does not include room and board or other living expenses or the cost of the undergraduate education.
The average student graduates with about $171,000 of debt (that is a January 2024 figure so it’s probably more now.)
There are also programs leading to Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in pharmaceutical science.
Once a student starts pharmacy school, they will complete a rigorous academic program with courses in pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pathophysiology, genetics, microbiology, immunology, delivery of care, professional communication and pharmaceutical calculations. There are also courses related to pharmacotherapy for specific organ systems: gastrointestinal, neurology, psychiatry, anesthesiology, cardiology, infectious disease, renal, reproductive, etc. And even more subjects include ethics, healthcare informatics, compounding and dispensing and more.
In addition to classroom time, there is also required practical experience. After finishing pharmacy school, some students obtain further specialized training in pharmacy residencies and fellowships.
Even after becoming licensed, pharmacists must complete continuing education course. In New York state a minimum of 45 contact hours (at least 23 live) is required in each three-year registration period. This includes at least three credits of formal continuing education on strategies and techniques to reduce medication and prescription errors and at least three credits of formal continuing education pertaining to pharmaceutical compounding.
Most people are aware of pharmacists that work at retail pharmacies. But pharmacists also work in hospitals, helping clinicians choose the correct medications, helping calculate the correct dose and monitoring for drug interactions. Some pharmacists work in specialized hospital units and clinics, such as oncology (cancer care) and mental health.
Poison control centers employ pharmacists. Some work in veterinary medicine. Other facilities that employ pharmacists include rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, nursing homes and hospice. There are also pharmacists who teach and others involved in research.
So please remember to be kind to your pharmacist. They are highly trained and collaborate with physicians, nurses and other health care professionals.
Eva Briggs is a retired medical doctor who practiced in Central New York for several decades. She lives in Marcellus.