Occupation Profile for Pharmacists

Compound and dispense medications following prescriptions issued by physicians, dentists, or other authorized medical practitioners.

Excellent job opportunities are expected.
Earnings are high, but some pharmacists are required to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Pharmacists are becoming more involved in counseling patients and planning drug therapy programs.
A license is required; the prospective pharmacist must graduate from an accredited college of pharmacy and pass a series of examinations.

Core — Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
Core — Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage and proper medication storage.
Core — Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions.
Core — Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, and registries of poisons, narcotics, and controlled drugs.
Core — Order and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, and drugs, maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.