The quest to know about the doctor of pharmacy salary precipitated this informative write-up which serves as clarity to your curiosity.
Pharmacy is a household name. A pharmacy is the first solution centre we seek for cold, flu, aches, and the likes. While the pharmacy is not a hospital, it sure does attend to some minor health issues.
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Overview of doctor of pharmacy salary
Pharmacy is the branch of science that is responsible for preparing, preserving, compounding, and dispensing medical drugs.
Physicians make the prescription, while pharmacists seal the deal by dishing out the drugs according to prescription and in commensurate dosage.
Pharmacy is a fascinating profession and it is as well delicate but it is also lucrative. The world is subject to change and so the role of pharmacists is changing.
History asserts the changing roles of pharmacy. One important evolutionary step was its separation from the duties of a physician.
It was common practice in ancient times for apothecaries to be physicians. Greek mythology, however, did affirm that the compounding of potions were specific duties, duly specialized.
Of course, this did not gain popularity until the 8th century AD, with the Arabian influence in Europe, the 1683 city council of Bruges reenactment of the law, and America’s Benjamin Franklin appointing an apothecary to the Pennsylvania Hospital.
The general assignment of pharmacists, as purported by history was carried out extemporaneously. However, World War II, prologued a new perspective, which was way more technical, than the unrehearsed methods previously adopted.
In a generic fashion, a pharmacy does not deal with the preparation and compounding of drugs but also the standardization.
A pharmacist is in the best position to advise a patient about medications. As it is their duty to homogenize the procedures in manufacturing drugs.
Who is a doctor of pharmacy? Pharm D
While there’s a long debate about who a doctor of pharmacy is, there is a simple answer for this. A contrast lies in the study of pharmacy in many countries of the world. This continues to prolong the argument about who a doctor of pharmacy is. Hence, forcing many to hold distorted views.
Many students obtain a bachelor’s degree in their preferred field of study and if they wish to acquire a doctorate degree, they apply for a Ph.D. program.
In pharmacology, a Ph.D. program is different from a PharmD (doctor of pharmacy) degree. Yes! A PharmD degree.
Students who aspire to become pharmacists must obtain a baccalaureate degree, which confers the title of a doctor of pharmacy on them. Of course, the degree is attained with rigor. Referring to them as doctors is not a bonus, it is well deserved – as they are the crackerjacks of medicine.
Prior to now, pharmacists bore the title of Registered Pharmacist, acronymed as RPh. With change occurring, new policies emerged and it ultimately brought about the title of the Pharm.D. Following the required change, many pharmacists with RPh. the title were mandated to get the PharmD degree or lose their position.
A Pharm.D. title is obtained upon graduation. However, this may not apply in some other countries where a two-year college degree would be required and where PharmD is awarded at the end of a post-graduate programme.
Technically, obtain a degree in pharmacology takes a number of years and the activities that it consists of, are germane and conform to the inflexible schedule of Pharm. school.
Aside from the disparities engendered by geographic settings, the basic requirements to becoming a pharmacist will be elucidated below.
Steps to becoming a doctor of Pharmacy
Until this time, secondary/high school education remains indispensable in the pursuit of academic advancement.
Hence, the journey to becoming a pharmacist begins in a classroom with peers and class teachers, acquiring general knowledge and paying rapt attention to core subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology.
After completing this phase with excellent results from sitting for the required exams, then you may take the next bus.
- Get a baccalaureate degree in Pharmacy:
High school is only a preparatory step as the knowledge gathered is only preliminary. Throughout this article, I have emphasized that admission into pharmacy school differs. This is a result of the educational structure in place.
In Nigeria a west African nation for instance, after WASSCE, applicants must sit for UTME and a post-UTME, which is usually conducted by the preferred tertiary institution of the applicant.
Pharmacy school takes a period of 6 years after which, a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree will be awarded and a one-year mandatory internship follows suit. However, this is dependent on the institution of choice.
However, in countries like America and other developed countries, a two-year diploma in College is required.
Applicants may also proceed with the ‘0-6’ program if they have no diploma. On the other hand, applicants who have completed the two-year diploma may apply for the 4-year pharmacy program.
Most applicants are required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). At this stage, a PharmD graduate is entitled to prefix their name with ‘Dr.’
- Undertake residency or internship:
To attain expertise and clinical skill, it is important to undertake internships. Residency in pharmacy is not negotiable, rather it is required to obtain a license and advancement in the field. The residency takes 1-2 years, the duration depends on your geographical location.
- Acquire a set of skills:
All professions require certain basic skills, most of which are communication skills – majorly interpersonal skills.
As a pharmacist, you must uphold integrity, accuracy, the ability to multitask, and good interpersonal skills.
- Obtain a license:
It is important to get certified. Licensing offers you the opportunity to practice without a certain level of restriction and it gives your career a push.
Regulatory bodies offer licenses to those who have met specific requirements needed for licensing.
A role of a doctor of pharmacy is dynamic and broad. Of course, we would expect that the remuneration they receive is reasonable and befitting.
Hence, I will be enlisting the top 10 high-paying countries for pharmacists.
- To 10 paying countries for Pharmacists
- Switzerland
- United states
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Ireland
- Germany
- Denmark
- Australia
Doctor of pharmacy salary
let’s look at the doctor of pharmacy salary which is our main focus in this article. We will be considering these salaries for different countries marked as the top paying countries for pharmacists.
Also, it is essential to note that there are different factors that determine the doctor of pharmacy salary and wages.
Below are some of the determinants of salaries and wages;
- Location
- Place of work
- Work experience
- Level of academic acquisition
- Personal skills
The average salary of doctor of pharmacy in the US dollars
Because you have waited, we bring to you the salary of Pharm D in different top nations of the world;
- Switzerland: Salary ($175,000)
Pharmacist in Switzerland typically earns around 160,000 CHF per year. Salaries range from 78,400 CHF (lowest) to 250,000 CHF (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Pharmacist salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location.
- United States: Salary ($158,000)
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average pharmacist salary is $120,000 annually.
The highest-paid in the industry earns around $158,000 a year while the lowest-paid earns $139,000 a year.
Some of the highest paying states include California, Washington, South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and New York.
- Canada: Salary ($114,000)
Canadian pharmacists are paid an annual salary ranging between CA$54,000 – CA$144,300 depending on location and level of experience.
The highest paying provinces are Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
- United Kingdom: Salary ($110,000)
According to the National Careers Service pharmacists have a starting salary of around £26,500 a year, £32,000 to £41,000 when one gain a reasonable amount of experience, and £41,000 to £83,000 when one is highly experienced.
- Norway: Salary ($86,000)
According to the Norwegian pharmaceutical association, a pharmacist with a Bachelor’s degree earns NOK 524,576 and one with a master’s degree earns NOK 590,071 during the sunrise of their careers.
One once is able to gather a number of years of experience and works for a large pharmaceutical company their salary rises to NOK760,000 annually.
- Netherlands: Salary ($81,500)
A Dutch pharmacist has a starting salary of around €44,000 annually when one has little to no experience. This rises to €72,000 a year once one attains over 10 years experience in the industry.
- Ireland: Salary ($80,500)
In order to be a pharmacist in Ireland, one needs to either hold a four-year Bachelor of Pharmacy honors from Trinity College Dublin or the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland School of Pharmacy or University College Cork all of which are accredited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
Afterward, one goes for a one-year full-time in-service taught program provided by the RCSI and gets awarded the degree of MPharm.
Pharmacists can earn between €40,000 and €60,000 when they have up to three years experience and between €60,000 to €100,000 when one has over 3 years experience.
- Germany: Salary ($79,000)
The average salary of a pharmacist in Germany is between €27,000 – €45,000 a year during the first years of their career.
It then rises to around €70,000 once one gets a lot of experience. Research-based pharmaceutical companies tend to pay higher than State pharmacies.
- Denmark: Salary ($73,000)
An experienced pharmacist who has worked over 10 years makes an average of DKK 40,000 per month and this can go as high as DKK 52,000 per month.
- Australia: Salary ($70,500)
Pharmacists in Australia earn AU$67,400 per year on average as a starting salary. Those who are highly experienced make more than AU$97,250 per year.
What is Pharmacy?
As a place, a pharmacy is a drugstore. So, it is that neighborhood store where you run to when you have aches and pains. Yeah! That’s correct.
As a branch of science, it prepares, preserves, compounds, and dispenses drugs. We do not get to see them carry out these duties, in our drugstores. However, this explains why drugs are the common item sold in a pharmacy.
Who is a Pharmacist?
Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who specialize in the right way to use, store, preserve and provide medicine.
In other words, pharmacists prepare, preserve, compound, dispense and advise patients on the use of drugs, the doses, and the effects in general.
A pharmacist can also perform some clinical procedures like blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol tests as well as administering vaccines. The functions of a pharmacist are not limited to the aforementioned as there are dictated by the various work settings.
There are different types of pharmacy, categorized by setting, duty, and operation. They include;
- Community pharmacy
- Hospital pharmacy
- Clinical pharmacy
- Industrial pharmacy
- Compounding pharmacy
- Consulting pharmacy
- Ambulatory care pharmacy
- Regulatory pharmacy
- Home care pharmacy
- Community pharmacy:
Community pharmacy is also known as retail pharmacy. Traditionally, it is referred to as a chemist shop. Community pharmacy is the most popular type of pharmacy. The community pharmacy makes medication accessible to people living in the community.
Informs and educates the members of the community about the medications, the use, the dosage, and the effects.
Majorly community pharmacy brings medicine to the doorstep of the members of the community, to serve their medical needs. A community pharmacist interacts with patients, in order to internalize their medical condition so as to administer the appropriate medication that serves their medical needs.
- Hospital pharmacy:
Hospital pharmacy is another type of pharmacy, which is not new to the world of pharmacy and hospitals, alike. Hospital pharmacists work hand to hand with other healthcare professionals, in order to achieve a seamless administration of medication for the best outcome.
Hospital pharmacists would see to it that drugs are stored properly and in the appropriate storage facility. They may also conduct teaching on the administrative functions in selecting, distributing, and the proper storage of drugs. Also, they monitor and assess drug levels and safety.
- Clinical pharmacy:
Clinical pharmacy encapsulates the areas of drug information for safety, so as to arrive at the best results when put in use. A clinical pharmacy exists in hospitals and other medical centres.
- Industrial pharmacy:
Industrial pharmacy is attached to pharmaceutical companies, as it entails research, production, packaging, quality control, marketing and sales of pharmaceutical products.
A pharmacist in a pharmaceutical company, may also act as an advocate for the use of its products, whilst providing information about their benefits and actions.
- Compounding pharmacy:
Compounding pharmacy is the type of pharmacy that deals with the production and preparation of medicines in new and improved forms. Most often, the new forms medicine are reformulated.
- Consulting pharmacy:
It is as the name implies. Consulting pharmacists provide expert advice on medications in general. It focuses on the theoretical review of drugs, that is, it explains the procedures, the use, the effects of the medicinal substance.
- Ambulatory care pharmacy:
The ambulatory care pharmacy is a mobile healthcare service for patients in rural areas and for the aged.
An ambulatory care pharmacist help to manage patients who are at a higher risk of disease complication and drug-related problems due to the lack of control over these conditions. The ambulatory care pharmacy reduces the chances of frequenting hospitals.
- Regulatory pharmacy:
Regulatory pharmacy is responsible for formulating rules and regulations for the safe use of medicine to promote positive health outcomes.
It entails all efforts put in place to homogenize the procedures or methods of drug manufacturing. Regulatory pharmacists work with government parastatals that supervise drug and food production.
- Homecare pharmacy:
Homecare pharmacy involves the preparation and administering of injectibles rather than oral or topical medications, to outpatients in critical conditions, especially those in a home setting. A homecare pharmacist administers infusion, only.
What does a pharmacist do?
There is a point of unification in the roles apportioned to a pharmacist. However, the unification does not suggest a monotony of functions. A pharmacist, therefore, performs the following functions;
- Dispense prescribed medications.
- Advise patients on how best to take their prescriptions and answer any questions they may have.
- They ensure that the medicines prescribed are suitable for the patients.
- Ensures that the supply of medicine is within the law.
- Supervise the medicines supply chain and ensure pharmacy premises and systems are fit for purpose.
- Advise other healthcare professionals about safe and effective medication use and a safe and secure supply of medicines.
- Respond to patients’ symptoms and advise on medicines for sale in pharmacies.
- Provide services to patients, such as smoking cessation, blood pressure measurement, and cholesterol management.
- Supervise the production and preparation of medicines and assessments of the quality of medicines before they are supplied to patients from pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Why, pharmacy?
For starters, pharmacy is a wonderful career. Why?
- you will play a pivotal role in helping people get well.
- allows you to work directly with patients.
- you will become a highly respected and recognized member of your community and will be part of the medical community.
- you will be part of major innovations in medical therapy.
- will enjoy job mobility, stability, and flexibility.
- there is always a high demand for pharmacists in other countries.
- you will enjoy a wide range of career opportunities.
Conclusion
There you have it! Pharmacy is a lot to write about. However, it is a great field of study.
Happy reads!
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Chibueze Uchegbu is a certified medical physiologist with a great passion for healthy living.