Pharmacist jobs

Pharmacist Jobs Overview

Pharmacist jobs keep the healthcare cycle going by safely providing prescriptions to the population. But the role of pharmacists has evolved into something bigger—a community-oriented wellness vocation, encompassing everything from delivering vaccines and offering all-inclusive medication management to recommending healthy lifestyle tips. Community accessibility has become the pharmacist's hallmark: According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, close to nine in 10 Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy.

If you have a keen interest in science, the ability to effectively multitask, and a passion for healthcare, then a pharmacist job may be for you. Some roles in the pharmacology field involve less patient and community interaction, but generally, your duties will include preparing and dispensing medications judiciously, monitoring updates or changes in drug therapies, and advising patients about how to take medicines. Besides supervising what medications are given to patients, pharmacists are becoming more ingrained within the patient-care fabric, performing tasks that make better use of their full capabilities, such as coordinating with doctors on antibiotic selection and blood-sugar or cholesterol testing.

You can also expand your options by searching for other healthcare jobs. Or you may want to whittle down your job search to these specialized positions:

• hospital pharmacist jobs
• pharmacologist jobs
• clinical pharmacist jobs

Pharmacist Education and Skills

To become a pharmacist within any setting, you'll need to pursue at least six years of study after high school to earn your Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from an institution accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Courses you will take may include:

• Biological Systems.
• Pharmaceutics.
• Pharmacogenetics.
• Medical Chemistry.
• Metabolism and Cell Biology.
• Therapeutics (including several concentrations, such as oncology, inflammatory disorders, and infectious diseases).

You'll also need to pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), and most states require that you complete an additional Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).

The educational requirements for any pharmacist job can be rigorous, so make sure to review the healthcare careers resources on Monster—such as this pharmacist job description sample—to help wrap your mind around what this career will entail. Analytical facility, good judgment, attention to detail, patience, and empathy are all beneficial skills for pharmacist jobs.

Update Your Pharmacist Resume

Your pharmacist resume should highlight any relevant research you may have already conducted and specialty areas you'd like to underline (for instance, critical-care pharmaceuticals). On top of that, you should showcase your communication skills (since pharmacists need to interact with everyone from doctors and nurses to technicians and patients) and a flair for counseling (to ensure medicines are correctly administered). Check out Monster's pharmacist resume sample to make your qualifications and experience shine even further.

A convincing cover letter can give your pharmacist job application more prominence. Explore the multitude of assets available on Monster, including these cover letter examples and our expert guidance on writing successful cover letters.

Interviewing for a Pharmacist Job

The nature of your interview will depend on the kind of pharmacist job you're applying to. If you want to be a pharmacologist, you'll be entering the riveting world of research, studying the latest pharmaceuticals and their effects. Clinical pharmacists are more hands-on with physicians and nursing staff, while hospital pharmacists are more likely to be working within the actual pharmacy, preparing the medications being prescribed by doctors. Of course, you can work as a pharmacist in a neighborhood pharmacy too. Regardless of where you want to work as a pharmacist, Monster can help you outclass your competitors in any job interview.

How Much Do Pharmacist Jobs Pay?

A career as a pharmacist can be very lucrative. Currently, the median pay for a pharmacist in the U.S. is $105,656, and that can reach $126,054 at the highest end. Use Monster's Salary Tools to get pay details for pharmacist positions in your area. You can also refine your search to find the salary for the precise job title you're targeting, such as a clinical pharmacy manager.

Want to Learn More About a Company You're Interested In?

At Monster, we know that a company's culture is an important part of job fit. Take some time to review our company profiles, where you'll encounter:

• Job postings for national pharmacy brands, including CVS Health and Walgreens.
• Information on various hospitals and clinics that hire pharmacists.

Pursue Your Perfect Pharmacist Job on Monster

Catalyze your ambitions! With Monster, you can easily access high-paying pharmacist jobs. We'll help you build a profile so that you can connect with top-notch pharmacies, hospitals, recruiters, and research centers.