subject: Choosing Pharmacy as a Career [print this page] Pharmacists are essential figures in the healthcare industry and when you decide on a career as a pharmacist you'll understand why as they develop an extensive knowledgebase of medications and dosages. Pharmacists also need to be able to relate to people understanding what the solution and medication fits their ailments from their description of what hurts and also answer questions that people may have. Pharmacists also need a good eye for details as a main part of their role will involve dosage and giving people the right dosage is important as the wrong dosage could be bad for a person's health. This side of the role is also important when managing others including pharmacy technicians as overseeing them whilst maintaining a good workflow.
If you have decided to become a pharmacist it takes 5 years, 4 years doing a degree course in pharmacy and a year for practical experience ending with an exam.
In 2010 the University of Nottingham was voted the best School of Pharmacy, this is a big achievement for the University but after a review of their website and understanding their own advances and discoveries. Ornella Barra is a special professor at the University of Nottingham, her main role being chief executive of pharmaceutical wholesale division at Alliance Boots means Ornella is well placed for understanding the industry and the changing role of a pharmacist meaning graduates are well placed to attain jobs with the current skill set needed.
Once graduated, pharmacists have a range of roles to choose from pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, laboratories for education, research and development. To help make the choice easier at the time doing work placements to get a better understanding of the industry and what it has to offer and where that choice can lead to.
As demonstrated above with Ornella Barra's role, chief executive of pharmaceutical wholesale division, Ornella started her career as a pharmacist, managing a local pharmacy which she later went onto to buy. From their Ornella's career continued to grow to her role of today.
This above look at the possible direction and scope to grow a career in pharmacy is just one look at where a degree in pharmacy can take you.
