Pharmacy Schools in Atlanta

Having information on pharmacy schools in Atlanta is very essential most especially if you have interest in studying pharmacy in Atlanta.

To explore the many and varied career paths that pharmacy offers, you should enroll in a pharmacy school in Atlanta, a large metropolitan city. Throughout the history of modern medicine, pharmacists have been charged with having a thorough understanding of the drugs and treatments that have improved the lives of millions of people.

The following guide highlights the lengthy process of becoming a licensed pharmacist while also providing the most up-to-date facts and figures on how the industry is expected to grow.

Pharmacy Salaries and job Growth

In 2016, the median salary for a pharmacist was more than $121,500, though those in advanced roles or with years of experience can expect to earn even more.

This also applies to pharmacists who work in different states.  While pharmacist positions are expected to grow by 3%, or 9,100 positions, between 2014 and 2024, these figures vary across the country.

Step to becoming a pharmacist

1. Complete Relevant Degree Programs

Pharmacists in training have two options for completing their educational requirements. The first option entails finishing undergraduate coursework before entering a graduate program, while the second is a combined option that combines all coursework into one program. This section discusses both.

Graduate + Undergraduate: Pre-pharmacy courses are available as two or four-year degrees, so students should already know which graduate program they want to pursue before enrolling in an undergraduate program.

Four-year degrees include more general education and liberal arts classes, whereas two-year programs focus on field-specific courses. Students must take courses in general and organic chemistry, human anatomy and physiology, molecular and cellular biology, microbiology, statistics, calculus, and English to meet prerequisites for advanced study.

Some programs may require these topics to be studied over several semesters. Students who complete the program apply for a four-year pharmacy doctoral program.

Graduate: Combined degrees are available in a variety of formats and allow students to complete all required coursework in a shorter amount of time. The most common programs last six to seven years and award both a bachelor’s and a doctor of pharmacy degree upon completion.

2. Pass Licensure Requirements

Pharmacist licensing requirements are mandated at the state level, so graduates should check with their local board to learn about specific requirements. While some states have requirements, others do not, the majority include the following elements:

Complete a doctoral program that has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Pass the North American Pharmacist Licensing Exam, the Multi-State Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam, and the Written and Practical Exam as part of the pharmacist licensing examination series.

The NAPLEX consists of 185 questions and is designed to assess a candidate’s knowledge of pharmacotherapy and therapeutic outcomes, medication preparation and distribution, and patient health optimization.

The NAPLEX, like other computerized exams, is adaptive, which means that the test selects questions based on how the student performs on the exam. This exam costs $505 to take, so students should be well-prepared before scheduling a testing date.

If you fail the NAPLEX or any of the other required exams, you may be able to retake them. This usually entails paying an additional exam fee and obtaining written approval from a state or national pharmacy body. Some states, however, have a limit on the number of times you can retake a test.

The Multi-State Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam tests a student’s understanding of federal and state laws governing pharmaceutical practice.

This exam is used by participating states to ensure that all pharmacists understand the legal implications of prescribing and distributing drugs. This examination costs $250.

The written and practical examination components are typically state-specific. A local pharmacy board may be able to provide more information.

3. Complete Post-Doctoral Training

Pharmacists who want to work in a specialized field of pharmaceutics usually go through a one- to two-year residency program.

Post-doctoral training provides new pharmacists with the specialized knowledge they’ll need to enter these fields, whether they’re interested in psychopharmacology or pharmacoepidemiology. This is also an excellent option for those who intend to conduct research.

4. Stay on Top of Continuing Education

To keep their license, all states require pharmacists to complete continuing education hours as of 2016. Most require between 15 and 30 hours between license renewals, which are typically every two years. Pharmacists should review their state’s individual requirements before enrolling in any courses or training.

While some areas only require CEUs to be obtained from an approved provider, others require them to be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy. States may also require specific courses based on industry trends, such as pharmacological law or mental health and pharmaceutics.

Pharmacy Schools in Atlanta

1.Mercer University College of Pharmacy

Mercer University College of Pharmacy is one of the most diverse pharmacy schools in the country, located in the vibrant Atlanta metropolitan area. Through an extensive network of healthcare providers, they provide students with a robust educational experience.

They prepare their students to lead the pharmacy profession and face the future challenges of a dynamic healthcare environment, building on a century of caring. As their caring faculty assists you, the student pharmacist, in developing the skills that will propel you forward in pharmacy.

You will be guided by their faculty as you explore the many career paths available in pharmacy. Beyond community pharmacy, you can work in one of metro Atlanta’s many hospitals, government agencies, or pharmaceutical companies, to name a few. It is now time for pharmacy.

In order to fulfill this mission, the University promotes undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, as well as basic research and its application to benefit others.

Mercer University, as a university committed to excellence and innovation, challenges its community members to meet and exceed high standards in their teaching, learning, research, scholarship, and service.

They encourage their students to discover and fully develop their unique combination of gifts and talents in order to become world leaders who make a positive difference.

They seek to inspire members of their community to live virtuous and meaningful lives by using their gifts and talents to serve the needs of humankind as an expression of their love for God and neighbor.

They seek to enrich the mind and spirit by promoting and facilitating an open and rigorous search for truth and understanding, including an examination of the moral, religious and ethical questions of this and every age.

They affirm and respect the dignity and sacred worth of every person and celebrate both our commonalities and our differences.

Address: 3001 Mercer University Dr, Atlanta, GA 30341, United States

Contact: 678 547 6358

Conclusion

Although those outside the field may be unaware of the wide range of roles available in the field of pharmaceutics, there are numerous paths and career areas that a prospective pharmacist can choose from.

Every day of their careers, pharmacists put their knowledge on the line, and remembering everything they learned in pharmacy school is critical. Whether recalling generic vs. brand names, side effects, or potential drug interactions, the ability to remember these components on a daily basis is critical not only to their success, but also to the health of those whose prescriptions they fill.

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