INFORMATION FOR FUTURE STUDENTS
Careers in Pharmacy
(Acknowledgment: portions of below adapted from Careers in Pharmacy, The Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy.)
How To Become a Pharmacist
- Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy
- Successful completion of the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada Qualifying Examination
What do Pharmacists Do?
- Work with patients and clients to determine the medication needs are and care required to best meet these needs ("pharmaceutical care")
- Improve an individual patient’s quality of life, the ultimate goal of pharmaceutical care
Characteristics of Pharmacists
- Interest in helping people
- Interest in health care
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to solve problems in creative and effective ways
- Precise and careful with details
- Willingness to accept responsibility, accountability
- Dedication to patients and clients
Rewards of Being a Pharmacist?
- Knowledge that you have helped people to improve or maintain their health
- Interaction with other health professionals, teamwork
- Satisfaction of successfully owning/managing a community pharmacy or hospital pharmacy department
Career Opportunities in Pharmacy
OUTSTANDING is the word that describes career opportunities for pharmacists. A shortage has led to a high demand in all areas of Pharmacy. Our B.S.P. program will prepare you for a wide range of careers:
- Pharmacists are employed in and/or operate their own community pharmacy or work in chain pharmacies, food and drug stores, and department stores.
- Pharmacists work in hospitals and medical centres providing pharmaceutical care and services for patients, and drug information services for other health care personnel. Many specialize in fields such as oncology, infectious disease, psychiatry and other areas.
- Pharmacists are employed by the pharmaceutical industry in research, production, testing and sales of pharmaceutical products. Frequently, pharmacists in industry are involved in development of drug information materials used to educate other pharmacists, physicians and patients.
- Pharmacy grads may be employed in federal and provincial government agencies dealing with laws to protect the public with respect to drug products and pharmacy practice. They also work with the armed services and RCMP forensic laboratories.
- Pharmacy graduates with advanced degrees work in universities to provide education for pharmacists of the future, contribute to the knowledge base through research, and share their expertise through community service and continuing education programs.
Where are Our Pharmacy Grads Working?
- Practicing as community or hospital pharmacists across Canada, the USA and at least 11 other countries in the world
- Selected for positions as hospital pharmacy residents and graduate schools
- Leaders in health care, industry and academia
- Deans of several Canadian University Pharmacy programs
For more information, please see:
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