Pharmacists are some of today's most important workers. With the new strains of disease which spring up constantly along with some methods which are not as effective as they should be, it is important for these producers of medicine know how to effectively produce correct batches of medicine. Indeed, their job can go beyond simply producing effective medicine, for some pharmacists are responsible for inventing new forms of treatment. To do this, a pharmacist needs not only a large and effective working knowledge of all the compounds which can be combined to make a medicinal treatment, but a thorough knowledge of the workings of the human body.
The history of pharmacy is long and diverse, probably being first born out of the knowledge of using certain plants for their healing properties. Usually, in ancient cultures, one person in the community knew how to best apply these plants to treatments. As time progressed, these healers began writing down the treatments, recipes, and knowledge of these medicines in order to pass them down to future healers better. One could say that this was the very beginning of pharmacy schools. Today, pharmacy schools have a much higher standard of learning than simply knowing which combination of plants or herbs can produce healing. Much attention is applied to anatomy and physiology as well as the study of medicine, for pharmaceuticals is the link between the two.
The basic requirement to be licensed as a pharmacist requires either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree from an accredited university. In the United States, this translates into either four years at an accredited college of pharmacy after already completing two years of pharmacy pre-requisites or moving straight into a six-year program for pharmacy straight out of high school. This is not always the case, however, for many students choose to not move into a pharmacy school until after already achieving an under-graduate degree, usually in Pre-Med. This means that the basic minimum to become a Doctor of Pharmacy, the necessary degree to be licensed in the United States, student will need to complete a minimum of six years of schooling, although it will more typically be eight years before completion.
The history of pharmacy is long and diverse, probably being first born out of the knowledge of using certain plants for their healing properties. Usually, in ancient cultures, one person in the community knew how to best apply these plants to treatments. As time progressed, these healers began writing down the treatments, recipes, and knowledge of these medicines in order to pass them down to future healers better. One could say that this was the very beginning of pharmacy schools. Today, pharmacy schools have a much higher standard of learning than simply knowing which combination of plants or herbs can produce healing. Much attention is applied to anatomy and physiology as well as the study of medicine, for pharmaceuticals is the link between the two.
The basic requirement to be licensed as a pharmacist requires either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree from an accredited university. In the United States, this translates into either four years at an accredited college of pharmacy after already completing two years of pharmacy pre-requisites or moving straight into a six-year program for pharmacy straight out of high school. This is not always the case, however, for many students choose to not move into a pharmacy school until after already achieving an under-graduate degree, usually in Pre-Med. This means that the basic minimum to become a Doctor of Pharmacy, the necessary degree to be licensed in the United States, student will need to complete a minimum of six years of schooling, although it will more typically be eight years before completion.
Getting into a pharmacy school is the first requirement, though. If accepted directly into high school into a six-year pharmacy program, a student will be able to begin their training immediately. In addition with taking many of the classes, which would be pharmacy pre-requisites for the other students, these students will focus hard on their pharmacy and will hopefully graduate in six years with a Doctorate of Pharmacy under their belt. Disregarding this, though, most pharmacy schools require at least two years of pre-requisite classes before allowing a student to apply to the college of pharmacy. Many students, however, will actually wait and attended all four years to achieve a Bachelor of Science degree because even attempting to apply to one of the more prestigious pharmacy schools. These prestigious schools generally have a very high standard for their admissions and having an undergraduate degree will greatly help a prospective student's chances of admission. Most colleges of pharmacies will administer the Pharmacy College Admission Test as part of their application process. Students not scoring well enough of this entrance exam will not be permitted the chance to attend the school.
In the school, students will typically attend a four-year program designed to educate them fully in areas of physiology and pathophysiology, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and many others. Student’s work to attain a proficiency in these areas and, once complete, will begin to assess different ways in which they can apply this knowledge to the therapeutic treatment of patients. This leads into the application of this knowledge with practical experience. Under supervision, the students will generally spend around an entire year using the practical application of all they have learned, working to ensure that they know how to perform in the field.
Many countries, upon graduation with a pharmacy degree, will require graduates to work under supervision with a licensed pharmacist for a certain amount of time before allowing them to begin practice on their own. Some countries will even administer their own written and oral exams upon completion of a degree to ensure that the graduating pharmacists will live up to the standards of the country. Much like the bar exam for lawyers, this is designed to test the students under pressure and ensure that they are fully ready for the pressure of the job before being allowed to perform it.
Getting a degree from a pharmacy school certainly requires a great deal of hard work and patience. However, it can also be one of the most rewarding professions available, giving people the chance to help alleviate the suffering of others through medicine. It takes a quick mind and a patient manner to become a pharmacist, but they are some of the most trusted members of society.
In the school, students will typically attend a four-year program designed to educate them fully in areas of physiology and pathophysiology, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and many others. Student’s work to attain a proficiency in these areas and, once complete, will begin to assess different ways in which they can apply this knowledge to the therapeutic treatment of patients. This leads into the application of this knowledge with practical experience. Under supervision, the students will generally spend around an entire year using the practical application of all they have learned, working to ensure that they know how to perform in the field.
Many countries, upon graduation with a pharmacy degree, will require graduates to work under supervision with a licensed pharmacist for a certain amount of time before allowing them to begin practice on their own. Some countries will even administer their own written and oral exams upon completion of a degree to ensure that the graduating pharmacists will live up to the standards of the country. Much like the bar exam for lawyers, this is designed to test the students under pressure and ensure that they are fully ready for the pressure of the job before being allowed to perform it.
Getting a degree from a pharmacy school certainly requires a great deal of hard work and patience. However, it can also be one of the most rewarding professions available, giving people the chance to help alleviate the suffering of others through medicine. It takes a quick mind and a patient manner to become a pharmacist, but they are some of the most trusted members of society.
Source: Edu[dot]ILuvIslam
