How to Become a Pharmacist

A career in pharmacy is an excellent choice for those looking to enter the field of healthcare. Pharmacists benefit from a rewarding career of helping people to live healthier lives while receiving competitive salaries and having great career flexibility.

Florida is in the top 5 states for the highest pharmacist salaries with an average salary of $121,560 per year.

Pharmacists spend their time connecting with patients and helping them understand their medications and how they can get the most benefit from them.

在美国成为一名药剂师, you must complete a PharmD program and pass all exams and state licensure requirements.

第一步:获得学士学位并完成先决条件

The best way to complete prerequisites for a PharmD is to earn a bachelor’s degree or complete a pre-pharmacy program. Students will benefit from a foundational education in chemistry, biology, and mathematics.

Most pharmacy programs will require at least two years of coursework in microbiology, physics, calculus, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and anatomy and physiology.

Students will also need to pass the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) before being accepted into a pharmacy program.

第二步:选择合适的药学博士项目

In order to become a pharmacist, you must earn your pharmacy degree from an accredited institution. This ensures that you are taught the correct curriculum at the highest standards.

目前，全国有142个认可的药房项目. Student experience will vary depending on the program, so it’s important to find the right fit.

Doing research on a pharmacy program’s graduation rates and North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) exam pass rates can be a good indication of the level of personalized attention students receive in a program. 

PBA’s pharmacy program 第一次NAPLEX考试的通过率为88.9%，明显高于全国平均水平. 

Students will spend several years in a pharmacy program so it’s also a good idea to visit the campus and explore the surrounding area to get a sense of the atmosphere. 除了参观校园之外, 未来的学生可以与在校学生和教职员工见面.

第三步:申请药学博士课程

Filling out applications for graduate programs can be a time-consuming process. 值得庆幸的是，PBA参加了 药学院申请服务 (PharmCAS) which means students can complete one application and apply to multiple programs simultaneously. 

In addition to transcripts, students will typically need to include a personal statement and several letters of recommendation. A personal statement is a great chance for students to explain what a PharmD degree means to them. Internship supervisors, academic advisors, 教授是推荐信的常见来源.

Step 4: Complete a PharmD

A PharmD program gives students both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills they need to thrive in their future careers. Students will typically complete advanced courses on topics such as principles of drug action, pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, biotechnology, medication safety, and disease prevention. 

Upon completion of a PharmD program students will be experts on medication and be able to: 

• Provide medication therapy management to patients by employing knowledge of biochemistry, pharmacology, 以及药物的生理效应来优化结果, reduce adverse events, and prevent drug interactions.
• Design drug dosing regimens for patients utilizing population or patient-specific pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters.
• 运用物理化学性质的知识, manufacture, and compounding of pharmaceutical ingredients to recommend an optimal drug delivery formulation.
• Resolve medication-related problems by critically evaluating scientific literature to make evidence-based recommendations.

Most PharmD programs include around four years of instruction and a clinical experience component, 有时被称为旋转. 

Some PharmD programs offer dual-track degrees that allow students to broaden their professional qualifications. PBA offers a PharmD + MBA program as well as a 药学博士，主修医学西班牙语.

A PharmD program also prepares students to sit for the NAPLEX and other pharmacy exams in order to obtain professional licensure.

第五步:通过考试并获得州执照

Passing the NAPLEX exam is a requirement for licensure as a pharmacist in all 50 states. Students who have passed the NAPLEX exam should apply for state licensure within three years. 

Florida also requires individuals to pass the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) to ensure they are familiar with the relevant pharmacy laws and understand their professional responsibilities. 

Once students have passed the NAPLEX and MPJE exams they can apply for a pharmacy license from the Florida Board of Pharmacy.

第六步:申请药剂师工作

Individuals who have completed a PharmD and obtained a pharmacy license have made a significant investment in their education and careers. Finding employment allows pharmacists to be rewarded for the years of hard work and training. 

影响药剂师找工作的因素很多. 药剂师的就业市场也因地区而异. PBA在西推荐全球最大网赌正规平台欢迎您的位置, Florida, places graduates close to career opportunities at 200 healthcare providers and more than 150 biotechnology, 医疗设备和制药公司. PBA pharmacy graduates often go on to work at places such as Eli Lilly and Company Bristol-Myers Squibb, CVS Health, Cleveland Clinic, Baptist Health South Florida, U.S. 公共卫生服务和退伍军人健康管理局.

The Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy is an excellent choice for students interested in becoming a pharmacist.  Our student-centered, 全面的教育方法将使你在专业上得到发展, clinically, and spiritually. Learn more about our Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.