Pharmacists are health professionals who practice the science of pharmacy.
Pharmacists take a request for medicines from a prescribing health care provider
in the form of a medical prescription, evaluate their appropriateness and counsel
patients on the proper use and adverse effects of that medication. Pharmacists are
like intermediary between physicians and patients to ensure the safe and effective
use of medications. Pharmacists also participate in disease-state management, where
they optimize and monitor drug therapy or interpret medical laboratory results.
This is done in collaboration with physicians and other health professionals.
Pharmacists have many areas of expertise and are a critical source of medical knowledge
in clinics, hospitals, medical laboratory and community pharmacies throughout the
world. Pharmacists also hold positions in the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical
education and research & development divisions. Pharmacists are customarily
sometimes also referred to as chemist. The fundamental role of pharmacists is to
distribute drugs that have been prescribed
by a medical practitioner to patients.
In more modern times pharmacists advise patients and health care providers on the
selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists monitor
the health and progress of patients to ensure the safe and effective use of medication.
In some cases, pharmacists have prescriptive authority to either independently prescribe
under their own authority or in collaboration with a primary care physician.
Generally profile-specifications of pharmacist include-
* Representing patient compliance in medication regimen
* Strong pharmacist-patient relationship
* Assessing medication management in patients
* Referring patients to physicians
* Clinical medication management
* Specialized monitoring of disease states
* Compounding medicines
* General health advice
* Oversight of dispensing medicines on prescription
* Counseling and advice on optimal use of medicines
* Referrals to other health professionals if necessary
Pharmacists need to be trained in pharmacology, pharmacognosy, chemistry, pharmaceutical
chemistry, microbiology, pharmacy practice, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law, physiology,
anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacokinetics, drug delivery, pharmaceutical care, nephrology,
hepatology, and compounding medications. To work as a pharmacist one must have a
Doctor of Pharmacy degree, known as a Pharm.D.
Pharmacists working in independent pharmacies may become owners or part-owners after
they gain experience and secure the necessary capital. Those in chain drugstores
may be promoted to pharmacy supervisors or store managers, then to district or regional
managers and eventually to executive positions at the headquarters. Those who work
in the pharmaceutical industry may advance in areas including marketing, sales,
research, or quality control.
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