Pharmacist

Pharmacist Licensure

To practice pharmacy, a pharmacist must be licensed by the relevant statutory body, which governs the registration and practice of pharmacy within the territory of its jurisdiction. A basic requisite for pharmacist licensure is a degree in pharmacy (Bachelor of Pharmacy or Doctor of Pharmacy; PharmD) from an accredited university. Individuals seeking pharmacist licensure are often required to complete a certain number of experiential hours in a pharmacy, under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.

Pharmacists have increasing areas of expertise and are a critical source of medical knowledge in a many settings throughout the world.

Training and Practice

Pharmacists are usually trained in the fields of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacy practice, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law, pharmacokinetics, and medication compounding.

The contemporary role of the pharmacist has expanded, in some settings, from a purely compounding and dispensing role to include functions such as reviewing and monitoring medication regimens, provision of non-prescription medicines, drug dosing in renal and hepatic failure, pharmacokinetic evaluations, and medication therapy management. Many universities are even reforming curricula to increase emphasis in fields such as pharmacotherapeutics, clinical pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy, disease state management, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and pharmacogenomics.