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Pharmacists Occupation Detailed Description

Pharmacists career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Pharmacists

The main tasks and work activities of Pharmacists are to verify accuracy of patient information, advise patients on effects of health conditions or treatments, communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members, order medical supplies or equipment. In general, for the Pharmacists, reading Comprehension, active Listening, critical Thinking, service Orientation and other 17 skills are required.
Pharmacists Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations 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).
Related ExperienceExtensive 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 TrainingEmployees 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.
ExampleThese 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 pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Pharmacists jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
100.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Pharmacists

  • 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, or 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, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or 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, or healthcare supplies.
  • Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs or drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications or characteristics.
  • Compound and dispense medications as prescribed by doctors and dentists, by calculating, weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients, or oversee these activities.
  • Refer patients to other health professionals or agencies when appropriate.
  • Prepare sterile solutions or infusions for use in surgical procedures, emergency rooms, or patients' homes.
  • Plan, implement, or maintain procedures for mixing, packaging, or labeling pharmaceuticals, according to policy and legal requirements, to ensure quality, security, and proper disposal.
  • Manage pharmacy operations, hiring or supervising staff, performing administrative duties, or buying or selling non-pharmaceutical merchandise.
  • Work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
  • Assess the identity, strength, or 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.
  • Offer health promotion or prevention activities, such as training people to use blood pressure devices or diabetes monitors.
  • Contact insurance companies to resolve billing issues.
  • Update or troubleshoot pharmacy information databases.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Verify accuracy of patient information.
  • Advise patients on effects of health conditions or treatments.
  • Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.
  • Order medical supplies or equipment.
  • Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.
  • Maintain medical facility records.
  • Treat chronic diseases or disorders.
  • Recommend types of assistive devices.
  • Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
  • Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
  • Prepare medications or medical solutions.
  • Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
  • Determine protocols for medical procedures.
  • Manage healthcare operations.
  • Merchandise healthcare products or services.
  • Train medical providers.
  • Present medical research reports.
  • Instruct patients in the use of assistive equipment.

Skills and Abilities for Pharmacists

  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Visual Color DiscriminationThe ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Ampoule filling equipmente.g. Ampoule filling machines
  • Radiation detectorse.g. Area survey meters
  • Sterile or aseptic processing or filling machinese.g. Automated drug dispensing equipment
  • Bar code reader equipmente.g. Barcode scanning/prescription tracking systems
  • Binocular light compound microscopese.g. Binocular light compound microscopes
  • Tablet counterse.g. Capsule counters
  • Electronic blood pressure unitse.g. Electronic blood pressure monitors
  • Electronic toploading balancese.g. Electronic toploading balances
  • Pharmaceutical filters or ultra filterse.g. Filters for glass containers/ampoules
  • Geiger counterse.g. Geiger-Muller counters
  • Glucose monitors or meterse.g. Glucometers
  • Hemacytometer setse.g. Hemacytometers
  • Laminar flow cabinets or stationse.g. Horizontal air flow laminar hoods
  • Patient care beds or accessories for general usee.g. Hospital beds
  • Intravenous tubing with catheter administration kitse.g. Intravenous IV therapy equipment
  • Label making machinese.g. Label-making machines
  • Laminar flow cabinets or stationse.g. Laminar flow hoods
  • Medical radiological shielding wall or ceiling or floor installed panelse.g. Lead shielded drawing stations
  • Medical radiological shielding freestanding or portable screense.g. Lead transport shields
  • Mercury blood pressure unitse.g. Manual blood pressure equipment
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • ChemistryKnowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Therapy and CounselingKnowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.