Needs to become a Pharmacist

Intro
With an ever increasing demand for health care, more and more students are considering a career as a pharmacist. Before you make that decision, you should become aware of the requirements and career opportunities available for pharmacists. As a pharmacy school student, I have not only experienced the application process but also researched many aspects of the pharmacy profession.

According to a May 2008 BLS report, there are 266,410 pharmacists in the United States who earn an average of $50.13/hour ($104,620 annually). Salaries vary based on geographical location, employer, and other factors. Many newly registered pharmacists report huge signing bonuses in more rural or in demand areas.

As time passes, pharmacists continue to be given more and more responsibilities within the health care system. Contrary to popular belief, a pharmacist's job does not constitute counting pills from 9 to 5. Only 62% of pharmacists hold traditional community (retail) pharmacy positions (BLS). Other exciting pharmacy careers include positions in a clinical setting (administering drugs as a part of a medical team), a research lab, a government agency (e.g. poison control), a university, a corporation, a nuclear pharmacy (compounding and dispensing of radioactive materials for use in nuclear medicine procedures), and many others. Unlike other medical professional careers, pharmacy has a diverse range of careers available. In addition, most pharmacists do not need any residency experience for most careers (you will need 1-2 years of residency experience to become a clinical pharmacist).

The Increasing Demand for Pharmacists
Pharmacy careers expect a whopping 22% growth in jobs available from 2006 to 2016 (May 2008 report). With the population aging and filled prescriptions increasing, the demand for pharmacists is projected to grow in all pharmacy settings. Although job placement varies based on geographical location, pharmacists will have little trouble finding a job.

Pharm.D. degree
The Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.) requires a minimum of 2 years of undergraduate coursework (most students receive a bachelor's a degree prior to starting pharmacy school) followed by 3 to 4 years of Pharmacy school. Out of high school, students can apply for Pharmacy schools that have a joint undergraduate and Pharm.D. program which lasts from 5 to 7 years. These programs are also known as "0-6 programs" or "early assurance programs." It is important to note that a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree is different than obtaining a Ph.D. or M.S. in Pharmacy. The Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy has been phased out for the most part, although you may occasionally hear about a registered pharmacist (R.Ph.), who only received a B.S. in pharmacy before the implementation of the Pharm.D. as the norm for pharmacists. I don't know much about online Pharm.D. program, but I am very skeptical about these programs as pharmacy school is very rigorous with many hands on labs, which would be impossible to do online. Pharmacists are technically doctors (Dr.), but many opt to just place the 'Pharm.D.' title after their names.

Undergraduate Majors
There is no requirement or restriction on undergraduate majors for pharmacy school. Many students choose to pursue Biological Sciences and Chemistry majors as many of the pharmacy prerequisites are requirements for those majors. Other students pursue a wide variety of majors (business, art, psychology, economics, engineering, etc.) before beginning their pharmacy careers. In the end, successful completion of prerequisites is what really matters; however, choosing a biology or chemistry (or similar major) may give you a stronger science background to prepare you for the material presented to you in pharmacy school.

PharmCAS
PharmCAS (Pharmacy College Application Service) is the "centralized application service for applicants." Although a majority of the pharmacy schools use this service, there are a few pharmacy schools that choose not to use PharmCAS. Students use PharmCAS to submit Letter of Recommendations (done either online or by paper), transcripts, a personal statement, and additional application information. This service is not free, and you will need to pay $140 for first pharmacy school and $40 for each pharmacy school after that. It is important to note that some pharmacy schools require you to send in some of the application material DIRECTLY to them in addition to sending it to PharmCAS.

Supplemental Application
Many schools also require a supplemental application and an additional fee in addition to the PharmCAS application. The supplemental application usually contains essays which gives a clearer picture of the candidate and his or her fit with a pharmacy school. PharmCAS has a pharmacy school information page, which lists all of the pharmacy schools and their specific application requirements.

Interview
Every pharmacy school requires the infamous interview process to judge your fit for their program. Although the weight placed on the interview varies from school to school, one's performance at an interview is a significant factor to receive admission to pharmacy schools.

Prerequisites
Prerequisites vary greatly from school to school. You can also find browse the school list supplied by PharmCAS to get more information on the perquisites. You may apply for pharmacy programs before completing all of your prerequisites, but you must complete them before matriculation. For exact course equivalencies (exact course numbers from your institution), check to see if the school you are applying for has a webpage that allows you to check to see the exact course numbers from different schools. I know that USC and UOP have this available for students. UCSF and UCSD has their course equivalencies listed on Assist.org.

Prerequisites can be taken at your primary institution or at a community college. If you already have a bachelor's degree, it is more economical to attend a community college to knock out all your prerequisites. If you are currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a university, it is generally okay to take a few prerequisites at a junior college; however, you do not want to make it seem as if you are dodging all the difficult course requirements.

PCAT
The PCAT is the "Pharmacy College Admissions Test." Not all pharmacy schools require the PCAT (14 pharmacy schools that use PharmCAS do not require it, my other article lists these schools). The material covered on the PCAT as described from the AACP website: The PCAT is divided into separate sections, or subtests, each of which is timed separately. During the time allowed for each subtest, you will be permitted to work only on that section. You will not be allowed to go back to earlier subtests or on to later ones. As you work on each section, you may find it useful to first answer the questions that are easy for you, skipping over those questions to which you will need to return for further thought. There are six content areas measured by the PCAT in seven (7) separate subtests:

o The Verbal Ability section
o The Biology section
o The Reading Comprehension section
o The Quantitative Ability section
o The Chemistry section
o The written essays (2)

GPA
Your GPA (overall and science) is the most important aspect of your application profile. Each school has different standards when it comes to GPA, and by browsing the PharmCAS pharmacy schools page you can get an idea of what different pharmacy schools expect. Remember that an average GPA means that students with GPAs under and above that value are accepted. Schools may vary on how they consider scoring classes that you retake, so you should get in contact with pharmacy school admission offices to get more information.

Letter of Recommendations
One to four letters of recommendations are required in the application process for pharmacy schools. Schools differ on who they accept letters of recommendations from, so it is important to know what is acceptable by looking at the school profile pages on PharmCAS. Generally speaking, receiving letters of reference from pharmacists and science professors who know your ability and potential on a personal level will be the most beneficial.

Financing Pharmacy School
Like other professional degrees, financing your way to a Pharm.D. is significantly more costly than undergraduate programs. Government grants that you may have received for your undergraduate program are usually no longer available, so paying for your tuition will primarily depend on student loans. Make sure you apply for FAFSA before their deadline, so that you are considered for some of the government loans. It is also a good idea to apply for national, school, corporate, online, and local scholarships. Any money that you can get for free to pay down your tuition will mean less money you will be paying on interest for the life of the loan. Even a $1000 scholarship will decrease your loan amount by $1000 along with all the interest you would have paid during the life of the loan. I will provide a list of scholarships that are available in the near future.

Pharmacy Experience
Although pharmacy experience is not a requirement for admission into pharmacy school, working in a pharmacy is a great way to beef up your resume and also get a feel for what it is like working in a pharmacy. You may also consider obtaining your Pharmacy Technician license so that you may be given more responsibilities within the pharmacy. See if accepted students at different pharmacy schools have had pharmacy work experience or a pharmacy tech license by searching applicant profiles.

Dual Degrees
In addition to the Pharm.D., some students may pursue an additional degree (MBA, JD, PhD, MPH, etc.) in order to fill more specific niches in the pharmacy world. You can check which pharmacy schools offer dual degree programs on PharmApplicants.com (Useful Links -> Dual Degree Chart). If you are interested in any of these programs, you should definitely start by researching them on pharmacy school websites or contacting the office of admissions of pharmacy schools to get more information. Additional requirements (such as the GMAT and additional letters of reference) are expected for most of these programs. At some universities, these dual degree programs may eliminate your summer vacation or have you fall back a year from your pharmacy class as you complete your additional degree before going back to your pharmacy studies.

Why to choose natural treatment for hair loss

Using natural treatment for hair loss is often chosen when traditional and expensive treatments of dermatologists stop working, and especially when the hair keeps falling and falling.

Hair loss or baldness is a problem that frightens everyone, although it is normal that we lose a few hairs every day. But we get worried when we know the problem is getting worse, finding that the hair is no growing back in some areas of the scalp. That is when you realize we need to take some preventive measures.

Genetic factors such as environmental pollution, stress, and inadequate nutrition among others make the hair become dry, looks dull and weak to cause his downfall.

The daily use shampoo may be another cause of baldness because they contain high levels of harsh chemicals. The shampoo should be used sparingly, and once a day. Search and try for a shampoo that produces no or less hair loss. Always use specialized products for your hair type.

Of all these problems, hair loss is perhaps the greatest concern, and although many people opt for expensive treatments and implants that are usually effective in returning the illusion of abundant hair but not the right solution.

Several medications may even trigger baldness. These types of medicine are anticoagulants, medications useful to deal with high blood pressure levels or heart disease, vitamin A if consumed in excess, tablets for birth control as well as antidepressants.

One way to prevent your hair from falling is to provide all the attention it deserves. However, if it is a genetic tendency, as in the case of men, it is not easy to keep the roots alive for a long time and most likely bring up the baldness.

For this reason, it is recommended opting for natural treatments free of chemicals.

Many of these natural treatments do not appear in the medical literature, but a wide range of such treatments are being used.

All these natural treatments for hair loss are designed to re-grow your hair safely, quick, and naturally without using dangerous chemicals, harmful drugs, supplements or painful hair transplants.

Finding the right Internet Pharmacy

An online drugstore is an excellent method to acquire medications. With the soaring cost of supplements and other medicine, it is no wonder that these pharmacies encompass a successful market. Nevertheless, pharmacy reviews might help you produce the right view relating to the ideal sites to buy from.

We are all interconnected in this time. The existence of cell phones, computers, and the 24-hour news circuit has made this so. The online drugstore market has made good use of this interconnection over the web. Because millions are shifted over this method each day, the way in which we do business has improved significantly, and web-based pharmacies are coming along for the ride.

Nevertheless, not everyone enjoys this development. You'll find skeptics who declare that there are a lot of dangers involved with transacting money not only to buy medication online, but to do all forms of business over the web. They frequently declare that the dangers are just too significant to complement the advantages of comfort. Their arguments, unfortunately, are not so far from the truth. As a result of the dangers, online pharmacy reviews are an excellent method to recognize the good from the low-quality.

One particular appropriate concern is that your level of privacy and protection may be compromised when doing work on the internet. Security issues include things like phishing sites, which acquire security passwords and credit card information to be utilized in an illegal manner. Even though a reliable online drugstore will in no way do that, websites posing as reliable ones probably will. This really is why you should carry out serious caution when you buy medication online. You should look at the specific URL on the address field. If it appears suspicious, it may be a fake internet site.

Online pharmacy reviews can help with these types of issues. Actual buyers visit these sites to discuss virtually any distinct online drugstore. They remark both favorably and negatively regarding selected web sites with various troubles. Some of these evaluation websites also provide the alternative of a grading system through the use of stars or other signs. You can see these websites if you're anxious regarding many troubles.

Just one issue that may be discussed in these evaluations is security. Clients can analyze their encounters with an online drugstore's security methodologies. Do they own certificates featuring the established owners of the websites? Do these certificates ensure that any deal is password-protected and can not be noticed by any other companies? These troubles might be discussed by consumers in forums on pharmacy reviews, so other individuals may be sufficiently aware of possible threats.

Customers on these internet sites will also discuss customer care. When people buy medication online, they need to be positive that the merchandise they get get there promptly and in very good condition. Either beneficial or adverse happenings are spelled out in these evaluations, so consumers can find the perfect option. A high-rated online drugstore will provide the ideal customer care and satisfactory security to safeguard private details like credit card information.

Web-based pharmacy reviews are proving to be an awesome help to the online pharmacy market. Even though there

Pharmacy and Compounding Pharmacy

At one time a compounding pharmacy was the only type of drug store there was. The pharmacists mixed the appropriate ingredients in measured doses to create the medication that the doctor ordered for their patients. You had to know how to mix these compounds in order to be a pharmacist. Then drug companies began to do the mixing and delivered the medications to the drug store already prepared. The pharmacist only had to administer the correct amount in a container and keep records of the medications on file.

The compounding pharmacy is able to create medications with specialized amounts of each ingredient to suit the patient's needs and tolerances. Some people have allergies and need medications created that omit one or more ingredients. There are children who need medications to be made into a liquid form so they can take them. The pharmacist used specialized tools to measure each ingredient and mix the concoctions to the precise amount.

A regular drug store fills your prescriptions from your doctor by getting a large container they have in the back and counting out the measured amount of the medication that your doctor said you could have. They do not make the medications in the back they simply put the medicines in a different container and label it for you. A compounding pharmacy will also fill prescriptions in this manner, but they have the ability to make some medicines on site.

A compounding pharmacy can almost always be found in a hospital. The doses of medications that people in the hospital receive must be precise. A lot of the things that need mixed together are for intravenous delivery and the hospital pharmacy is there to create the exact mix of medications in the intravenous delivery bag according to the doctor's orders.

Whenever the pharmaceutical technicians adds anything to a medication, takes anything away from a medication, or changes the form of a medication they are compounding it. Some drug stores have the ability to add flavors to cough syrups and elixirs that children take and while this is compounding it is not the same as taking components and making the entire elixir. Adding flavors to liquid medicines may be the only form of compounding that your local drug store can do.

When the doctor orders you to have a medication that is going to require the more specialized services of the pharmacist that still does compounding they will tell you. They will also tell you which pharmacies in your town are capable of creating the medication that you need. These medicines are often ordered for pediatric patients with heart conditions because the doses on their medicines are subject to change due to their weight and growth. The medicines are also given to other patients who have chronic or terminal conditions they are receiving treatment for.

Your local drug store is where you will get the majority of your medications and they will keep an accurate record to help protect you from drug interactions.

Pharmacy Job in India

Pharmacy links health sciences with chemical sciences ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs. Pharmacists are health professionals who practice this science of pharmacy in various ways. They sometimes act as intermediaries between physicians and patients and even participate in disease-state management in collaboration with physicians and other health professionals. Pharmacists are also known as chemists sometimes.



Pharmacists are a critical source of medical knowledge in clinics, hospitals, retail stores, medical laboratory and community pharmacies throughout the world. They have many areas of expertise and hold positions in the pharmaceutical industry and in the pharmaceutical education, research and development institutions. Jobs for pharmacists in India have been growing with an upsurge in demand for healthcare and pharmaceutical professionals. The growing importance and contribution of healthcare sector to the country's economy has resulted in an increase in healthcare jobs in India.



Indian healthcare industry is worth many a billion dollars today and the growing number of tools for health management has created numerous employment opportunities in the sector. As the population ages and medical science advances, the need for medical experts has grown much higher than ever before. The increasing complexity of educational requirements and the high demand for medical professionals, especially pharmacists has created a huge supply deficit. There are many vacant posts for pharmacists in India but the advanced educational requirements have made it tough to fill in the positions.



To get Pharmacy Jobs in India, a candidate must have a degree in Pharma D (Diploma in Pharmacy) or Pharma B (Bachelors in Pharmacy) certified by the Council of Pharmacy Education. One can opt for MBA, Pharma M (Masters in Pharmacy) or even Ph.D and join the clinical research field. Various reputed colleges and universities in India offer courses in pharmacy to students with Physics, Chemistry and Math at plus-two level. Apart from the professional degree, pharmacists must have scientific amplitude, good communication skills and must be detail oriented.



Pharmacists may join a company or a hospital or may run own pharmacy registered with State Pharmacy Council. The remuneration for pharmacists depends hugely on the company or hospital they work with but is usually decent. Clinical researchers are definitely well paid and have huge demand in both India and abroad.