Career Options as a Pharmacist
When first getting your pharmacy degree, you may think you are limited to one career path. However, there are many directions you can explore in the world of pharmacy. If you’re new in pharmacy and looking for a place to start your career, or an established pharmacist looking for a fresh career opportunity, continue reading to learn about the career options as a pharmacist and how to find your perfect career match.
Retail Pharmacy
The most commonly known pharmacy job, retail pharmacy is a popular starting point for pharmacists in their career. 42% of all pharmacists work in retail settings such as drugstores and big-box stores, and typically focus their knowledge on oral medications. If you enjoy interacting with patients, want flexible hours and to grow your experience, a retail pharmacy position would be a great fit for you.
Hospital Pharmacy
Though similar to retail pharmacy positions, a career in hospital pharmacy focuses more on communication with clinicians and requires a wider scope of medication knowledge. You can work either as a centralized pharmacist, who is involved with checking interactions, or a decentralized pharmacist, who is more involved with dosing and works on the hospital floor itself. In a hospital pharmacy, many medications are IV-focused and your hours are typically less flexible and more demanding than in retail pharmacies.
Medication Distribution Center
A job at a medication distribution center is a more behind-the-scenes position. It requires little to no patient or healthcare team interaction and focuses on processing orders, providing medical information and organizing stock. If you enjoy working with medicine but aren’t a fan of the patient or clinician interaction, then working at a medical distribution center would be perfect for you.
Homecare and Hospice Pharmacy
A hybrid between retail and hospital pharmacy, homecare and hospice pharmacy jobs focus on over-the-phone interactions with patients as well as working with IV antibiotics. You would be responsible for reviewing patients’ labs to ensure their safety. The job also requires specialization in certain medications.
Pharmacy Informatics
In the world of pharmacy informatics, your goal is to streamline an organization’s electronic medical record system to ensure proper dosage. You also would look at cases for safety from a technical point of view. If you are passionate about patient safety and enjoy working with technology, a pharmacy informatics position might be for you.
Ambulatory Care Pharmacy
As an ambulatory care pharmacist, you are responsible for reviewing and fine-tuning patients’ profiles. You will work directly with patients and healthcare teams to customize their plans. It is required to have a vast knowledge of specific medications for specific types of patients,
Where To Begin Your Job Search
With all the options of career paths as a pharmacist, it can be overwhelming to find the best career match for you. HealthCare Support can help you with this process. We’re a premiere, national staffing resource for the healthcare industry helping talented, passionate healthcare professionals like you find your perfect pharmacy job. Our dedicated team of experts provides customized staffing solutions, dedicated advocacy, compassionate guidance, and highly responsive support to help you find your dream career.
To learn more about our open jobs and services, please give us a call at 888-219-6285.