Pharmacists Description OES Code: 325170 Compound and dispense medications following prescriptions issued by physicians, dentists, or other authorized medical practitioners. CA Wages/hour median range New, no experience: $28.00 $10.00 – $38.36 New, experienced: $32.00 $20.00 – $40.75 3 yrs+ experience: $33.44 $20.00 – $45.55 Salaries of Pharmacists are generally influenced by the location, size, and type of employer, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the position. Wages are generally higher for larger employers in urban areas. Local Wages • CCOIS Survey • OES Survey Hours & Benefits Most pharmacists are employed on a full time basis. Most employers report that they provide vacations, medical and dental insurance, in addition to sick leave and life insurance and retirement. Employment Trends Employment 1996 16,800 Projected Employment 2006 22,460 Growth Rate 1996-2006 33.7% Openings due to Separations 4,870 Employment Trends by California County The employment outlook for Pharmacists is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2006. The demand for Pharmacists will be stimulated by population growth and the aging of the population, which will boost demand for pharmaceutical services. Moreover, community pharmacies are expected to hire more Pharmacists because of a trend towards shorter working hours. Other factors likely to spur demand for Pharmacists include scientific advances that have made a wider range of drug products available for preventive and therapeutic uses, the rising standard of health care, and the growth of public and private health insurance programs that provide payment for prescription drugs. Employment of Pharmacists in hospitals and other health facilities is expected to rise faster than in other work settings. Pharmacists with advanced training will be needed for college teaching and top administrative posts. Advancement Pharmacists often begin as employees in community pharmacies. After they gain experience and secure the necessary capital, they may become owners or part owners of pharmacies. A Pharmacist with experience in a chain drugstore may advance to a managerial position, and later to a higher executive position within the company. Hospital Pharmacists who have the necessary training and experience may advance to director of pharmacy service or to other administrative positions. Pharmacists in manufacturing often have opportunities for advancement in management, sales, research, quality control, advertising, production, packaging, and other areas. Getting the Job & Other Information Employers advertise in trade and daily papers and advise pharmacy schools of vacancies. Information about job openings is also passed among Pharmacists. Employers in outlying areas find the statewide clearance procedures of the California Employment Development Department helpful. Government positions are filled from civil service lists. For current job listings, browse CalJOBS or America's Job Bank. © State of California EDD/LMID, US Department of Labor Unless indicated otherwise, wage data is based on Statewide aggregated CCOIS survey responses between 1995 and 1997. Questions or Comments? Contact us.

Click arrow at bottom left of image to begin. Requires QuickTime Education and Training To practice pharmacy, a license is required. Licensure requires graduation from an accredited pharmacy degree program, passage of a State board examination, possession of a specified amount of practical experience, or an internship under the supervision of a licensed Pharmacist. Internships generally are served in a community or hospital pharmacy. At least five years of study beyond high school are required to graduate from one of the degree programs accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education. Five years are needed to obtain a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, the degrees received by most graduates. Depending upon a student's educational background, six or seven years are required for a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Admission requirements vary. A few colleges admit students directly from high school. Most colleges of pharmacy, however, require entrants to have completed 1 or 2 years of pre-pharmacy education in an accredited college or university. A pre-pharmacy curriculum usually emphasizes mathematics and basic sciences, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, but also includes courses in the humanities and social sciences. Because entry requirements vary among colleges of pharmacy, pre-pharmacy students should follow the curriculum pattern required by the college they plan to attend. Skills & Other Requirements Making a pharmaceutical agent by compounding ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and solutions is now only a small part of Pharmacists' practice, since most medicines are produced by manufacturers in the required dosage and form. The practice of pharmacy is a vital part of total health care, requiring today's Pharmacists to be very knowledgeable. Pharmacists use patient profiles to insure that harmful drug interactions do not occur and to monitor patient compliance with the doctor's instructions. Consequently, Pharmacists are playing a more active role as they give more consultations and have more direct contact with patients. Pharmacists employed in community pharmacies may have other duties. Besides dispensing medicines, some Pharmacists buy and sell non-pharmaceutical merchandise, hire and supervise personnel, and oversee the operation of the pharmacy. Pharmacists in hospitals and clinics dispense inpatient and outpatient prescriptions and advise the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs; they also make sterile solutions, buy medical supplies, teach in schools of nursing and allied health professions, and perform administrative duties. In addition, Pharmacists work as consultants to the medical team in matters related to daily patient care in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities. References Note: The references below (and/or on other parts of this page) will link to pages on the internet outside the Career Video system. Related Occupation: Pharmacists #159 Related Occupations: Chemists #22, Microbiologists #168, Pharmacy Technicians #456 Training: California State Training Inventory