I relative of a friend got a Doctor of Pharmacy. He got a job prescribing drugs. I assume you could also work for a pharmacutical company. It seemed like he had close to the qualifications for med school, but I assume it is easier to get into. Anyone have ideas or experience with that?
Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD, is the degree required to be licenced as a pharmacist.
Pharmacists dispense prescription medications, educate people about their medications, give immunizations, among other things. Pharmacists may practice in a retail setting, or hospitals and nursing homes.
The requirements to be admitted to pharmacy school are similar to those required for medical school. Pharmacy school admissions are quite competitive. Two years of pre-pharmacy work are required. Many students have bachelor’s degrees before applying to pharmacy school. There are some direct-entry pharmacy programs which are very competitive.
Oh, so all the drug stores have to have doctors of pharmacy. I suppose they also have technicians at lower pay. The person I know prescribes drugs at a hospice, so I suppose they can also prescribe. I was a little surprised the person I know went that route, as he was premed, very strong academically, and I assumed he was going to med school or maybe dental school.
Pharmacists’ salaries are pretty good and the hours are great so it has a very nice hourly salary. No such thing as a “pharmacy emergency” requiring you to rush in in the middle of the night.
I have seen PharmD as a qualification for research positions at biotech/pharma but a biology and/or chemistry PhD will probably be more competitive.