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Pharmacy Studies, Degrees, and Licensing

John Buckingham earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Purdue


University, graduating from the Indiana school with honors. Many students who
complete undergraduate coursework in this concentration go on to build pharmacy
careers, which often require further study. A diversity of positions exists within the
practice of pharmacology, a field that continues to grow. Individuals interested in
working with prescriptions who are not inclined to pursue extensive study may earn
a C.Ph.T. to become certified pharmacy technicians and assist registered
pharmacists. The principal responsibilities of licensed pharmacists are to distribute
prescribed medications and provide counseling to patients and health care
practitioners.

Today, the actual process of mixing ingredients in order to form medications,


known as compounding, is only a minor piece of a pharmacist’s practice. Most
medicines today are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies and arrive at the
pharmacy in standard, prepared dosages and delivery devices. Pharmacists serve in
drugstores or health care facilities, and may also work with insurance companies
(pharmacy benefit managers) or related professions. Some pharmacists are also
able to administer vaccinations, and community pharmacists often provide
occasional specialized services for patients living with conditions such as asthma,
diabetes, or high blood pressure, as well as those who are attempting to quit
smoking.

A license is required in order to legally practice as a pharmacist in all U.S. states,


every U.S. territory, and Washington, D.C. The National Association of Boards of
Pharmacy (NABP) remains responsible for administering both the North American
Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy
Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). All potential pharmacists in the U.S. and its
territories are required to complete a certain number of training hours and to pass
NAPLEX, which tests basic pharmaceutical knowledge. Additionally, all states and
territories test knowledge of pharmacy law through the NABP’s Multistate Pharmacy
Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) or another similar assessment process.

Prior to finishing these examinations, all candidates must earn a Doctor of


Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from a college of pharmacy that has been approved
by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The Pharm.D. has now
completely replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in the United States. Gaining
acceptance to a Pharm.D. program requires a candidate to have fulfilled no less
than two years of professional education. Upon graduation from a Pharm.D.
program, an aspiring pharmacist will usually engage in a fellowship or residency.
Additional required experience or education varies depending on the prospective
pharmacist’s desired specialty. Many practicing pharmacists who earned
undergraduate degrees in chemistry of pharmaceutical sciences before the
Pharm.D. became the sole pharmacy degree may utilize the R.Ph. suffix to denote
that they have passed the required examinations to become registered
pharmacists.

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