Profession pharmacist. Description
A pharmacist is not just a person dispensing medications at a pharmacy kiosk. The specifics of his work are multifaceted and require a specialist to have a large amount of knowledge and a number of personal qualities. However, the efforts expended in the process of mastering the profession are justified. And today you will find out why.
Rapidly developing pharmaceutical production has led to an increased demand for specialists in this field. At the same time, the most popular are pharmacists, whose activities are often associated with the work of pharmacists. However, this idea is wrong. Despite the close relationship, these are two different professions with different levels of responsibility and competencies.
When choosing this direction, you need to clearly understand that a pharmacist is not just a person dispensing medications at a pharmacy kiosk. The specifics of his work are multifaceted and require a specialist to have a large amount of knowledge and a number of personal qualities. However, the efforts expended in the process of mastering the profession are justified. And today you will find out why.
Who is a pharmacist?
– a specialist involved in the manufacture, storage and sale of medicines. A pharmacist differs from a pharmacist in having a higher pharmaceutical education (to work as a pharmacist, it is enough to have a secondary specialized education).
If we talk about etymology, the name of the profession comes from the Latin pro - “before” visor - “I see” (that is, foreseeing, preparing). Today, the profession of a pharmacist is significantly different from the level and volume of knowledge that pharmacists once possessed. If earlier pharmacists created medicinal drugs using folk recipes passed down from generation to generation, then the modern level of knowledge of pharmacists working hand in hand with doctors is so high and extensive that separate divisions have appeared in the profession.
Responsibilities of technologists in the field pharmaceuticals This includes the production of medicines, while analysts check their quality. In addition, pharmacists work in different areas, where even management and business activities require a high level of professional training:
- A clinical pharmacist is a specialist who can determine in which cases the use of a drug is indicated or contraindicated, and consult with the pharmacy client if necessary.
- The hospital pharmacist informs the chief physician about all new products that have appeared on the drug market, and, together with the chief physician, provides the hospital with medications. His responsibilities are partly related to control, warehouse accounting of drugs, and economic activities of the medical institution.
- Specialists in the field of clinical research are engaged in testing the effectiveness of drugs, identifying their positive/negative effects on the human body. The results of tests carried out by these specialists determine whether a particular drug will end up in pharmacy chains or hospitals.
- Pharmacists and laboratory assistants are engaged in the development of medicines, and in fact - scientific discoveries in the field pharmacology.
- A pharmacist-agent is engaged in advertising, distribution and supply of drugs to pharmacy chains from one specific pharmaceutical company for which he works.
Even accounting in the pharmaceutical industry requires special training. Therefore, the profession of a pharmacist is one of the most highly qualified and in demand in modern society.
What personal qualities should a pharmacist have?
In addition to the necessary set of knowledge in the field of biology and chemistry, as well as the ability to “break down” a drug into its components, the pharmacist must also have other personal qualities that play an important role in the work.
Taking into account the fact that pharmacists create medicines mainly in a pharmacy, they must be very careful and treat their work with full responsibility, realizing the seriousness of the consequences in case of an error.
To master the required amount of information and constantly replenish knowledge, pharmacy worker You will need a good memory and objective thinking. And for research work:
- curiosity,
- accuracy,
- ability to overcome obstacles.
Since pharmacists, as a rule, work in a pharmacy, character traits such as:
- communication skills
- goodwill,
- patience,
- the ability to listen and empathize.
Equally important when working in sales are physical endurance and activity, which is due to the need to spend long periods of time on your feet.
Advantages of the pharmacist profession
Based on his preferences, a specialist can choose the direction that interests him most and improve in this area. Regular completion of advanced training courses contributes to the development and increase in the level of knowledge, which as a result has a positive effect on career prospects and increases demand in the labor market.
The profession is quite prestigious, and since pharmaceutical companies are experiencing an acute shortage of qualified personnel, a good specialist can count on high wages. Moscow average pharmacist income is 45-83 thousand rubles, and in the regions of Russia - 20-55 thousand (although the salary largely depends on the employment of the employee and the direction of activity).
A significant advantage when choosing this specialty is the opportunity for career growth. It is not uncommon for pharmacists to achieve major promotions after only a few years of service as an assistant pharmacist. In addition, some companies hire graduate students who, by the time they graduate, can gain the necessary experience for further work and soon occupy management positions.
In addition, the position is socially oriented, so pharmacists receive great moral satisfaction from the opportunity to help people.
Disadvantages of the profession of a pharmacist
Despite the prestige of the profession, material and career growth, the profession of a pharmacist has its own pitfalls.
The most significant disadvantage of the pharmacist profession is the need to constantly work with various biological and chemical components of drugs that can cause an allergic reaction. Pharmacist, pharmacy worker, during epidemics he risks becoming infected from visitors who turn to him for help.
The high degree of responsibility of the pharmacist for the lives of people, the need for constant and necessarily friendly communication with visitors is associated with high psychological tension. At the same time, taking into account the specifics of the work of pharmacies, the pharmacist is forced to work according to the established schedule for 12 hours, which causes increased fatigue.
Where can I get a profession as a pharmacist?
In addition to the fact that a pharmacist must have a higher medical education, in order to remain in the profession and meet qualifications, he must constantly undergo retraining and advanced training courses. The need for constant professional growth and training of pharmacists is associated with rapidly developing pharmacology, the emergence of new drugs, with which the specialist must be properly familiarized.
In addition to the diploma higher medical education To work as a pharmacist, you need a certificate confirming your right to engage in this type of activity. To obtain such a certificate, a specialist must undergo training in postgraduate professional education programs or an internship.
As a rule, a pharmacist must take advanced training courses and obtain a certificate at his own expense, but the opportunity to obtain a higher medical education at a state or municipal university, subject to successful passing of exams, is quite real.
The following universities are considered to be the most prestigious educational institutions in this profession:
- First St. Petersburg State Medical University named after academician I.P. Pavlova;
- Kazan State Medical University;
- Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov;
- First Moscow State Medical University named after. THEM. Sechenov;
- Saratov State Medical University named after V.I. Razumovsky.
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A pharmacy worker (pharmacist, pharmacist) is a specialist who is well versed in medicines. He not only distinguishes them, but also, if necessary, can select analogues or produce a dosage form (powder, mixture or ointment) on request on his own.
The named profession, which will be dedicated to, implies deep knowledge about the components of each medication, its interaction with other drugs, side effects and contraindications of drugs.
Pharmacist and pharmacist: training
Speaking about the profession of a pharmacist, it should be clearly understood that there are differences between it and the profession of a pharmacist. And the main one is that these specialists are trained in different educational institutions.
To become a pharmacist, you need to graduate from a higher educational institution, having studied there for 5 years full-time or 5.5 years part-time. After which the graduate will have the right to work independently - manufacturing, testing and licensing drugs, conducting research or managing a pharmacy. That is, he will become a highly qualified specialist.
A future pharmacist can complete training in 3 years and 10 months on the basis of nine classes, or in 2 years and 10 months on the basis of eleven classes in a specialized college or school. Having thus received an education, he will be able to work in a pharmacy, dispensing and manufacturing medications, while acting as an assistant pharmacist.
Although, by the Order of the Ministry of Health (2011), a pharmacist with five years of work experience is declared a person who has the right to apply for the position of pharmacy manager.
Responsibilities of a pharmacist and pharmacist
In Russia, it has traditionally been the case that in the pharmacy chain, the profession of pharmacist imposes on a specialist almost the same responsibilities as on a pharmacist (and it should be noted that there are many of them).
This usually includes:
- checking prescriptions written by doctors (you must agree, this is quite difficult, given their traditionally illegible handwriting);
- prevention in the dosage and compatibility of the ingredients of the prescribed medication;
- dispensing of medicines;
- advising customers about the rules for taking certain medications;
- provision if necessary;
- recording prescriptions and coordinating the quantity of goods ordered for sale (the pharmacist is the person financially responsible for the safety of money and medicines available in the pharmacy).
In addition, the pharmacist, like the pharmacist, must know the technology and rules for their storage. Both of these specialists study Latin.
Pharmacist is a multifaceted profession
Despite the fact that the profession of a pharmacist only implies that it allows a specialist to work not only in a pharmacy, but also in a pharmaceutical factory, in a pharmaceutical warehouse, in a pharmaceutical company and in research institutes.
In a laboratory setting, as a rule, his responsibilities include the development of new drugs, improvement of existing drugs and development of new technologies for their production.
As you can see, this specialty allows you to demonstrate versatile personality traits - after all, a pharmacist can work with people and, if desired, remain in the laboratory, alone with a microscope.
Qualities necessary for success in the profession
The profession of a pharmacist implies that its applicant has certain human qualities that will allow him to become successful in his field and make a career.
To do this, a specialist must have not only excellent knowledge in the field of chemistry, biology, psychology, Latin and computer technology, but also have self-control and goodwill. Since most often his place of work is a pharmacy, the pharmacist is forced to communicate with a large number of people. Many of them are elderly and come not only for medicine, but also for sympathy, and sensitivity and attentiveness instill in the client confidence that the purchased product will definitely help.
It is very important for a pharmacy worker to maintain a cordial tone and not lose optimism, even if one of the clients allows himself to be irritable or rude.
Health requirements for a pharmacist
Of course, speaking about this profession, one cannot help but emphasize that, unfortunately, not everyone who loves chemistry and biology will be able to work in this specialty.
Pharmacists and pharmacists are, first of all, people who stand at the pharmacy counter all day, which means that it is contraindicated for those who suffer from leg diseases. In addition, for those who have allergies, diseases of the skin, bronchi and cardiovascular system, the described profession can be simply dangerous.
Pharmacist: salary
And now we come to the most pressing problem. How much does a person earn who has so many responsibilities and bears serious responsibility for the health, and sometimes for the lives of people, on an equal basis with doctors?
An average pharmacy worker with 2 years of experience can earn from 20,000 to 35,000 rubles. In large cities, and depending on the work schedule, a specialist’s income is about 40,000 rubles. monthly. Private pharmacies practice providing bonuses, which sometimes significantly increases the amount of money the pharmacist receives. His salary in such cases can rise to 50,000 rubles.
Is it easy to get a job and make a career as a pharmacist?
The pharmaceutical business is developing rapidly, so specialists in this field are becoming increasingly in demand. As practice shows, getting a job in a pharmacy chain is not at all difficult for anyone who has a pharmacist certificate.
Some chain pharmacies even offer flexible schedules for undergraduate students, while also offering them a variety of continuing education and vocational training programs.
Many pharmaceutical companies offer administrative applicants the opportunity to work in their sales, marketing research or logistics departments.
If desired, a pharmacist can improve his qualifications, thus reaching a higher level of payment and, as mentioned above, gaining the opportunity to occupy management positions.
Personal qualities required for the profession
The profession of a pharmacist combines the fields of pharmaceuticals, medicine and commerce, which forces the applicant to demonstrate not only a high level of specialized knowledge, but also excellent moral qualities as a person.
This is first of all:
- composure, attentiveness and accuracy;
- ability to concentrate;
- self-control;
- high degree of efficiency;
- excellent memory;
- tolerance, sociability and responsiveness.
Despite the fact that a pharmacist is more of a performer, his work still requires the ability to make independent decisions and organize his work.
An advanced pharmacist with excellent communication skills is a godsend for a pharmacy at any level. Indeed, in the current conditions of fierce competition in the pharmacy chain, the client will go first of all to the place where they listened carefully, gave practical advice, clearly explained the effect of the medicine and thus aroused trust.
How to become a pharmacist, and what basic knowledge do you need to master at school to get this profession? We invite you to talk about the professional characteristics of pharmacists in more detail.
Often young people, when choosing a particular profession, have a vague idea about it. For example, how can you find out what someone is really doing? pharmacist standing behind the pharmacy counter? By and large, a judgment about this profession arises on the basis of what is seen, what “lies on the surface.”
After all, most people do not have the opportunity to look into the premises of pharmacies, pharmaceutical laboratories or pharmaceutical factories. This is the “holy of holies”, where access to ordinary people is denied, since in such institutions medications are manufactured/sold that not only save people’s lives, but can also harm their health (of course, if used incorrectly/excessively).
How to become a pharmacist, and what basic knowledge do you need to master at school to get this profession? We invite you to talk about the professional characteristics of pharmacists in more detail.
Who is a pharmacist?
Throughout the history of civilization, humanity has been looking for ways to combat pain and disease. The first evidence of the existence of medicines is ancient Egyptian papyri of the 17th century BC. The properties of natural medicines are known from the scientific works of ancient healers: Hippocrates, Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Galen, Avicenna and other ancient scientists who found healing remedies in the natural environment by studying the composition and properties of plants/minerals.
Pharmacology, as a science, got its name from the ancient Greek φάρμακον “medicine, poison” and λόγος - “word, teaching,” which translates as “the teaching of poison.” Since the thirteenth century, pharmacology has been separated into an independent section of the science of medicine: from that time on, pharmacists began to engage in the manufacture and sale of medicines, and this happened in Italy. In Russia, the pharmaceutical business appeared only under Ivan the Terrible, and the development of the pharmaceutical industry, in fact, began only in the eighteenth century.
Modern pharmacology studies many different areas and is divided into the following disciplines:
- Theoretical pharmacology;
- Nanopharmacology;
- Pharmacognosy;
- Doseology;
- Toxicology;
- Pharmacogenetics and other sciences.
This division of directions is due to a significant amount of knowledge that has been accumulated over the centuries-old history of pharmacology and continues to increase today.
Depending on the place of work, the responsibilities of a pharmacist vary significantly. So, if this pharmacy worker(pharmacist), his duties will include:
- customer consultation and drug dispensing;
- storage and display of medicines;
- creating demand for medicines;
- control over the quality of medicines sold in pharmacies.
If a pharmacist works in a research institute or pharmaceutical laboratory, then his responsibilities will include:
- development of new medicines and improvement of already known medicines;
- work on drug manufacturing technology;
- production of medicines.
By the way, contrary to popular belief, in official duties of a pharmacist selection of medications is not included. He can only act as a consultant who will tell you about the pharmacological properties of medications and can suggest an analogue of the drug if the pharmacy does not have the medicine recommended by the doctor.
What personal qualities should a pharmacist have?
The profession of a pharmacist is similar to the profession of a doctor - a specialist’s mistake can cost a person his life, because, as Paracelsus said, a medicine from a poison differs only in the dose. Therefore, a person who has chosen this profession must have such personal qualities as:
To make your dream come true and become a pharmacist, while studying at school you need to pay a lot of attention to chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. In addition, you need to understand that this profession requires constant readiness to learn and improve knowledge.
Advantages of being a pharmacist
A huge advantage of this profession is the fact that pharmacists today do not have to worry about finding a job - the specialty of a pharmacist is one of the ten most popular professions in the modern labor market. The country has a huge number of pharmacies, pharmaceutical warehouses, laboratories, factories, and research institutes of various forms of ownership engaged in the development, production and sale of medical drugs.
At the same time, despite the fact that the specialty of pharmacist has a long history, this profession can safely be called profession of the future. And all because people were sick, are sick and, unfortunately, will be sick. This means that humanity will continue to experience the need for the production and sale of medicines for decades to come.
The average salary of a pharmacist ranges from 15-42 thousand rubles, depending on the region and the form of ownership of the enterprise. Although these numbers can be much higher, depending on the position held.
Disadvantages of the pharmacist profession
When choosing a profession that helps people take proper care of their health, you need to take into account your own health status. For example, if there are allergic reactions to certain components of medications, the pharmacist will not be able to manufacture them, as this may harm him.
Taking into account the work schedule of Russian pharmacies (half of which are open around the clock), you need to be prepared for a busy work rhythm and an irregular work week. It is especially difficult for pharmacists to work during epidemics. Not only does the flow of customers increase many times over at this time, but the likelihood of contracting various infectious diseases through daily contact with them also increases many times over.
IN pharmacies Quite often sick and aggressive people come in and can react negatively to even the most innocent remark from a specialist. And you need to have enormous patience to smile politely and respond politely when you are provoked into rudeness or forced to run from one rack to another in search of the cheapest analogue of this or that medicine.
Where can you become a pharmacist?
You can master the profession of a pharmacist at a medical college where there is an appropriate department, and continue your studies at a university on the job if you want to improve your qualifications or engage in scientific activities in the field of study and development of medications.
You can also, after graduating from school, immediately enter a specialized institute, where there are such areas of training as pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology and pharmacy.
Which medical university choose? It all depends on the intentions and capabilities of the applicant. For example, if it is important to simply gain professional skills and job prospects in your hometown, then it is best to choose the educational institution closest to your place of residence.
If in the future you plan to conduct scientific activities or apply for a leadership position in an international company, then it is best to get an education at one of the leading specialized universities in Russia, which include:
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DetailsThe medical industry is very diverse. Even, it would seem, a pharmacist is not only a pharmacist, but also a pharmacist. And even those entering medical school or college do not always know what skills they need to have to work as a pharmacist.
To begin with, let us recall that a pharmacist is a secondary vocational medical specialist, and a pharmacist has a higher medical education. In other words, one studies at a college or technical school, and the other receives a higher professional education. And the main thing you need to work as a pharmacist is to get an education at a medical school.
The specialty itself is very interesting. For those who are interested in chemistry, this is one of the ways of self-realization. It follows that in order to work as a pharmacist, the applicant for the position must have a good level of understanding of chemical processes and reactions, as well as physical transformations.
Because one aspect of being a pharmacist is preparing medications and medicinal mixtures according to the prescription form. And this also implies the ability to read records in Latin. Of course, no one requires reading the original works of art of antiquity, but the simplest ability to understand the names of medical terms and chemical components is simply necessary for a specialist in this specialty.
Working as a pharmacist
Working as a pharmacist, a person is constantly in contact with people. Often, these are unhealthy people with a bunch of chronic diseases that do not have the best effect on their character. Therefore, if there are no communication skills, there are problems in communicating with strangers, there is rapid irritability, pronounced misanthropy, then there is nothing to do in the pharmacy.
To work as a pharmacist, you need not so much strong nerves as a positive attitude towards life and the clientele surrounding the specialist. The customer is always right, and the pharmacy management is interested in constantly increasing profits. When choosing to work as a pharmacist, it is simply necessary to discover these qualities in yourself. Otherwise, the path to the profession will be open to you, but not for long. Attentiveness, politeness, the ability to listen, patience - all this is also required to work as a pharmacist.
Requirements for working as a pharmacist
Since this specialty is associated with contact with chemicals, there are some diseases for which it is better to refuse to take up this profession. These include the following: allergic dermatoses and dermatitis, psoriasis, diseases associated with visual or auditory disorders, various nervous system disorders or mental illnesses, even in the stage of compensation.
Options for obtaining a specialty to work as a pharmacist
To master this specialty, you can take different paths. The simplest one is to enter a pharmaceutical school or college after the ninth grade. Upon graduation, graduates receive the title of pharmacist. Or you can go to a pharmacological institute or enter the pharmacology department at a large university, and eventually receive the title of pharmacist. What is the difference for work?
Any of them must understand all the intricacies and intricacies of the medicinal business. A pharmacist is involved in the production, storage and sale of medicines. A pharmacist is the same as a pharmacist, only with a higher medical education.
Then another logical question arises: why then a higher pharmacological education, if you can work as a pharmacist anyway. Firstly, having a higher education provides better career prospects. Secondly, it allows you to delve into all the intricacies of the pharmacokinetics of drugs, provides the basis for organizing the economics of pharmacy, management and marketing. Thirdly, this is a slightly different social status; this is greater confidence when helping clients choose a particular medicine.
Training to become a pharmacist is quite long. It requires hard work, perseverance and simply phenomenal memory. Otherwise, it will simply be impossible to keep so many medications in your head. But besides this, you also need to have an idea of the symptoms and methods of treating the most common diseases. As practice shows, patients often go to the pharmacy for first aid, rather than to the doctor’s clinic. And here is the main thing when working as a pharmacist: do no harm. If you don’t know, if you don’t remember, don’t advise. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you don’t know something.
Treatment is not the professional responsibility of pharmacists. Their task is to sell or prepare a prescription drug that was previously recommended by the attending physician. When choosing this specialty, think carefully about your decision so that you don’t feel hurt or offended by your hasty action. Working as a pharmacist is interesting, but there is no responsibility without responsibility.
Almost all of us periodically become clients of pharmacies. But it’s unlikely that many of us know for sure who exactly, besides the pharmacist, works in this institution. In modern pharmacies and the pharmaceutical industry, there are specialists whose profession is pharmacist.
Who is this man? What does he do? How does his work differ from the work of other pharmacy employees? What prospects can you count on if you have clearly decided to become a pharmacist? Let's sort things out in order.
General idea of the specialty
To put it in simple and understandable language, a pharmacist is a person who has a higher pharmaceutical education and works in the field of warehousing, manufacturing and selling various medicines. If translated from Latin, we get the following meanings of this word: “procuring”, “foreseeing”.
In most countries around the world, there is a traditional idea that almost any pharmacy employee is considered a pharmacist. But, as you can see, this opinion is very erroneous. At the moment, there are separate pharmacist-technologists, pharmacist-analysts, and so on.
In addition, this specialist checks the functioning of pharmacies and controls the dispensing of medications. Generally speaking, a pharmacist can be called an employee whose functions include organizing the wholesale trade of various medicines. In addition, it is worth taking into account the fact that a qualified specialist can always count on receiving a wide variety of positions, from a pharmacy marketer to a pharmacy sales manager. Everything related to the pharmacy is within the competence of a professional in his field.
What kind of education do you need to get?
To get a job as a pharmacist, you will have to obtain a higher education in pharmaceuticals. In addition, be sure to remember that your diploma is not the limit of the educational process; you may be forced to take courses to improve your qualifications. Also keep in mind that the corresponding certificate will cost you a pretty penny if you work in private companies, while when working in a government agency you will have the opportunity to take courses completely free of charge.
But usually most large networks can offer to take these courses at the expense of the organization. But at the same time, the specialist is obliged to enter into an agreement with the company for the next few years.
What are the qualifications in practice?
- Clinical pharmacist. Today, modern medicine is faced with a situation where the number of over-the-counter medications is increasing every year. In addition, people are increasingly prone to self-medication. For these reasons, it is becoming increasingly important to advise people on the correct use of medications: time of administration, dosage of the drug, combination with other medications and food, storage rules and other points. The role of such a consultant is played by the clinical pharmacist. What are the requirements for it? Firstly, he must have a good understanding of the main types of medical documents and be able to recognize the main symptoms of the most common diseases. Secondly, such a specialist must be able to conduct an examination of the patient at various levels (laboratory, clinical, instrumental) and draw appropriate conclusions from this examination.
- Hospital pharmacist. They can be found in institutions such as multifunctional hospitals. These pharmacists purchase various medications. Working closely with attending physicians, they can improve the quality of drug therapy for patients. Among other things, they can monitor the process of taking medications and advise medical facility staff on the main features of new drugs that have entered service.
- Professional in the field of medical research activities. The functions of this specialist include the following tasks: he must study new drugs, record his observations and help colleagues organize the research process itself.
- Pharmacist-laboratory assistant. At the moment, the pharmacist’s training process involves in-depth study of chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, as well as the acquisition of laboratory work skills. Upon completion of studies, a pharmacy student will have the opportunity to work as a laboratory assistant in institutions involved in clinical research.
- A medical representative of a pharmaceutical company, as a rule, is involved in advertising and selling the manufacturer’s products on the modern market. He helps sell products in pharmacies and medical institutions, and can organize various kinds of conferences dedicated to the promoted medicines.
The main advantages of this type of activity
It is perhaps difficult to find one among pharmacists who would be disappointed with the choice made. As a rule, most of these specialists consider their line of work to be very promising in terms of development and quite interesting.
Partly this opinion exists because this work is socially oriented. In addition, it is worth considering the fact that the modern market constantly pleases us with new medicines, both Russian and foreign, which in turn is an incentive for pharmacists to improve their skills and study their subject more deeply. This job in itself is an excellent opportunity to enter an interesting and decently paid position with a career ladder.
In conclusion, I would like to wish all readers success in finding an interesting job. We hope that the description of the pharmacist profession interested you. Perhaps you will decide to connect your entire subsequent life with this type of activity. Don't stop there.