Many students these days are pursuing a career in pharmacy. And I can't blame them. Some advantages of becoming a pharmacist are:
1) Starting salary can be anywhere from $75,000 to $150,000 depending on location and need
2) A pharmacist's work schedules are flexible. You can work 7 on and 7 off, work during the evenings or work the usual 9-5 job
3) You will come out with less debt compared to other health professional schools.
4) You can become a fully-fledge licensed pharmacist in your early 20s and do not have to complete a residency
5) You won't have to deal with blood
There are many other advantages to becoming a pharmacist. Above are just a handful of them.
Now, how can you become a pharmacist?
If you are in high school and are interested in pharmacy school, I recommend that you take a look at a few 0-6 years program schools. This program works this way. The high school student applies into this program. As long as the students get the minimum grade point average (GPA) and SAT scores they should be able to get into the program. An interview may be required at some schools, so please check with each individual school. After 2 years of pre-requisite coursework with high marks, the student then proceed into the pharmacy school, where they complete either 3 or 4 years of pharmacy school coursework. Once completed, the student can opt to a 1 year residency or could go out and practice pharmacy immediately.
The shortest 0-6 years program school is University of the Pacific's (UOP) School of Pharmacy located in Stockton, CA. They offer a program that is as short as 5 years.
Below are some schools that offer 0-6 year programs:
Albany College of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Florida A & M University, Hampton University Massachusetts - Boston, Northeastern University, Ohio Northern University, Philadelphia, Rutgers University, St. John's University, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, University of Findlay, University of Missouri at Kansas City, University of Rhode Island, University of Texas at Austin, University of the Pacific and University of Pittsburgh
Now if you are a college student or non-traditional student, the road to becoming a pharmacist is similar to a high school student. Basically, you'll need to complete the pharmacy school requirements, take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT - if appropriate) and apply to the pharmacy school of your choice. There are many roadblocks that a student who are applying to pharmacy school may face. These questions include: How do I prepare myself to apply to pharmacy school? What should I major in? What extracurricular activities should I be involved in? Do I need to graduate with a bachelor's degree? Etc.
How To Get Into Pharmacy School ebook will show you how one student got into the pharmacy school of his choice within 4 short months after applying.
After graduating from pharmacy school, the student is now a fully-fledged pharmacist and only after becoming licensed, by taking the required test for the state the student is interested in practicing in, then he or she can begin working as a pharmacist.
As a pharmacist, you must renew your licensure every 2 years. This licensure process requires the pharmacist to take 30 units of Continuing Education (CE) classes either online or by signing up for a class. Other than this, the pharmacist can enjoy his or her career in the field of pharmacy.
