Pre-Pharmacy

 

Career and Major Information
Related Career Titles
Web Sites
Salary Information

 

The Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Pharmacy is intended to fulfill preadmission requirements at the freshman and sophomore levels for a school of pharmacy.  Most students have three years of course work completed when entering pharmacy school; Students will transfer to a four-year school to continue working toward a Bachelor’s degree.  The curriculum in the WSCC catalog is not designed for transfer to any specific school.  Students will need to talk with a faculty advisor about a particular college or university’s courses and transfer.  The link for the Natural Science Division at Walters State is: http://www.ws.edu/science/default.asp

 

Career and Major Information:

 

Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. They advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists also monitor the health and progress of patients in response to drug therapy to ensure safe and effective use of medication. Pharmacists must understand the use, clinical effects, and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties. Compounding—the actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and solutions—is a small part of a pharmacist’s practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. Traditionally, most pharmacists work in a community setting, such as a retail drugstore, or in a healthcare facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, mental health institution, or neighborhood health clinic (Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005).

 

 

Related Career Titles:

 

Biological and Medical Scientists

Chemists

Materials Scientists

Pharmacy Technicians

 

Web Sites:

 

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 1426 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.aacp.org

General information on careers in pharmacy is available from:

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. Internet: http://www.ashp.org

National Association of Chain Drug Stores, 413 N. Lee St., P.O. Box 1417-D49, Alexandria, VA 22313-1480. Internet: http://www.nacds.org

Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos079.htm#top

 

Salary Information: 

 

Median annual wage and salary earnings of pharmacists in 2002 were $77,050. The middle 50 percent earned between $66,210 and $87,250 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $54,110, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,570 a year OOH 2004-2005).

 

Salary figures quoted are based on national figures.  Local or regional salaries may be lower.

 

 

 

Citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, Pharmacists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos079.htm