8 Pros And Cons Of A Pharmaceutical Career

Pharmacists are essential members of the medical community, providing necessary support to patients. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in pharmaceuticals, it’s important to know the pros and cons of the career path. In this article, we discuss what pharmacists do, the pros and cons of being a pharmacist, and tips on how to tell if you should pursue a pharmaceutical career.

What does a pharmacist do?

A pharmacist dispenses prescription medication to patients. They study the chemical components and effects of medicine to make recommendations about brands and usage. Here are some duties of a pharmacist:

Fill prescriptions

Pharmacists fill prescriptions prescribed to patients by their medical doctors. The pharmacist receives the prescription from the patient or the doctor, identifies the medicine, counts out the correct dosage, and ensures the patient gets it. They also confirm the dosage and inform the patient of any potential side effects.

Communicate with patients and physicians

A pharmacist communicates with patients about any questions or concerns they may have with the medicine. A pharmacist may also have questions about a prescription and want to confirm the dosage with the physician. Sometimes generic brands are cheaper or more available than name brands. A pharmacist may try to communicate with the patient about their exact needs to determine if they want to take generic brand medicine.

Ensure safety

The pharmacist is responsible for checking the record every time a patient refills a prescription. These records can prevent mistakes that lead to a patient having an unsafe amount of medication. They can also check in with the patient to make sure they’re aware of how to use medicine safely.

Provide counsel

If a patient has questions about medicine, the pharmacist can provide information to ease their concerns. A patient may have an adverse reaction to the medication, in which case they may inquire how to ingest their medicine safely. The pharmacist is familiar with the reactions of different medications to make an educated recommendation about how to minimize side effects while safely taking their medicine.

Work with insurance companies

Pharmacists submit insurance claims to ensure payment for the medications for their patients. They work with private insurance companies and public insurance options to communicate insurance coverage. In cases of coverage denials, they work with the patient, insurance company, and doctor to resolve the claim so their patients can continue to afford and receive their medication.

Perform administrative tasks

Pharmacists keep records on their patients concerning what medication prescriptions they have had, how often they fill their drugs and their payment and insurance information. Maintaining these files makes it easier for patients to fill their prescriptions quickly. Additional administrative tasks include answering the phone, ordering office supplies, and stocking the pharmacy with medications.

Provide immunizations

Pharmacists also administer immunizations to the public, like the flu shot and other viral immunizations. They provide this service sometimes for free to protect the public health of their community. Patients can make appointments to receive their immunizations or walk in, depending on availability.

Pros and cons of a pharmaceutical career

Considering the pros and cons of a pharmaceutical career can help you make a more informed career choice. Here are eight pros and cons:

Pros

Here are four pros of a pharmaceutical career:

1. Salary

The average salary for a pharmacist in the United States is $119,216 per year. This salary is a substantial average salary, and it can vary depending on where you live. If you’re interested in making a decent yearly salary while still communicating with the public and taking advantage of flexible work hours, a pharmaceutical career may be a good choice.

2. Flexibility

There is a range of flexibility when you become a pharmacist for where you can work. You can work in an independent pharmacy or a retail pharmacy chain, both of which would require different skill sets and provide different experiences. As a pharmacist, many job opportunities can provide flexibility with your career. Additionally, because many pharmacists work in retail stores, they can work on retail shifts, providing more flexibility in their schedules.

3. Work environment

Pharmacists work in clean and calm environments usually, which is a unique position in the medical industry. Other careers in the medical industry can involve handling bodily fluids that are less hygienic. A pharmacist also has a calmer work environment because they don’t often handle emergencies.

4. Community interaction

Pharmacists are responsible for the health and safety of their community, whether they are developing new medicines or caring for patients in a retail setting. They can feel job satisfaction from the knowledge that they are helping people and improving the quality of life for their patients. For people who love to interact with others, working as a pharmacist gives you plenty of opportunities to work with others.

Cons of a pharmaceutical career

Here are four cons of a pharmaceutical career:

1. Extensive education requirements

To become a pharmacist, you need a doctoral degree and complete clinical training. Earning a doctorate and completing your clinical training is a big time commitment that some other professions don’t require. Advanced degrees can also be a significant financial investment that may prevent some from pursuing this profession. The extensive education and training requirements can be challenging, but the skill level required to be a pharmacist contributes to its high salary.

2. High level of responsibility

Pharmacists are responsible for their patient’s health and safety, which can be stressful, especially if patients lack awareness of their medicine or its side effects. They may also have a lot of questions about how to ingest their medicine safely. A pharmacist can’t prescribe medication, limiting the control the pharmacist has over the patient’s health. Regardless of the stress pharmacists may have in their position, they’re necessary to the health and safety of the public, which may provide job satisfaction.

3. Upset customers

Pharmacists work with the public to help them treat their illnesses. Some patients may stress about taking a new medication, feel frustrated with their insurance, or feel unwell because of their illness. Regardless of the patient’s mood, the pharmacist helps them and maintains a positive and helpful attitude. Some patients can be grateful to receive your help and glad to receive medicine to improve their quality of life, so interacting with the public can also have positives for pharmacists.

4. Limited advancement

Pharmacists have limited advancement opportunities. It’s a steady salary with plenty of job opportunities, but the hierarchy of pharmacist positions is small. A licensed pharmacist works in a pharmacy and has the educational background and clinical experience to work as a pharmacist, so once you have become a registered pharmacist, there isn’t a clear next step to increase your salary or prestige. Some pharmacies have managerial positions for advancement. If you want to be a business owner and a pharmacist, you can start your own pharmacy.

Tips for determining whether to be a pharmacist

If you’re interested in becoming a pharmacist, consider reviewing these tips to see if a pharmaceutical career is right for you:

Compare the cost vs. the salary

When considering if you should attend pharmacy school, consider how much the degree costs versus how much you may make in a pharmaceutical career. If the salary of the career offsets the cost of the degree, you may want to pursue your career. However, the less you pay for school, the more you can enjoy the rewards of your pharmaceutical career salary. Consider attending a pharmaceutical school only if it’s financially workable for you without accumulating an extreme amount of debt. Look into scholarships or work-study programs that can help offset the price.

Consider the qualities you need

Consider if you have the qualities of a good pharmacist. You may want to help people and be interested in chemistry and medicine, but having these additional skills can increase your chances of enjoying your career. Here are some qualities of a good pharmacist:

• Detail-oriented: A pharmacist pays attention to each prescription they fill and records detailed notes for future reference. Their attention to detail ensures that patients have the medication they need.

• Patient: Pharmacists deal with all kinds of personalities when dealing with the public, requiring patience and understanding. They also need the patience to file claims with insurance companies that can be difficult to work with and require extensive administrative work.

• Communicative: A pharmacist uses communication skills to work with their patients and help them understand their medication and how they should ingest it. They also use communication skills to understand the concerns and questions of their patients so they can provide medical advice.

• Multi-tasking: A pharmacist may work in a busy environment with other pharmacists and a variety of patients. They use multitasking skills to handle their various responsibilities in a timely and efficient manner.

• Compassion: Pharmacists work with the public to help treat their illnesses, so they need compassion to serve the public to the best of their ability and remember the seriousness of their work and its effects on their patients.

Consider types of pharmaceutical careers

When considering whether a career in pharmaceuticals is for you, consider the different careers you can have and which ones would be more appealing to you:

• Retail A pharmacist working in a retail setting is most commonly interacting with the public. They’re fielding questions, working with insurance companies, and handling administrative tasks related to their retail jobs.

• Hospital: Pharmacists who work in hospitals prepare medications for hospitalized patients. They also work with doctors to determine what medications are most appropriate for what illnesses.

• Research: Pharmacists in research settings work in the testing and development of medicines. This career path may require additional degrees.

• Sales: Some pharmacists pursue jobs with pharmaceutical companies and work in marketing and sales to promote certain medicines.