Learn How to Prepare for a Pharmacy Career in Northeast Ohio
The following pharmacy career information will help you prepare for a career in the field. There are two main career tracks in the pharmacy field, pharmacist and pharmacy technician.
:
- Must understand the use, clinical effects, and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties.
- Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners.
- Provide information to patients about medications and their use.
- Advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications.
In addition, pharmacists in hospitals or clinics:
- Advise the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs.
- Assess, plan, and monitor drug programs or regimens.
- Counsel patients on the use of drugs while in the hospital and at home after they are discharged.
- May specialize in specific drug therapy areas, such as intravenous nutrition support, oncology (cancer), nuclear pharmacy (used for chemotherapy), and pharmacotherapy (the treatment of mental disorders with drugs).
In community or retail pharmacies, responsibilities might include:
- Counseling patients and answering questions about prescription drugs, such as those about possible adverse reactions or interactions.
- Providing information about over-the-counter drugs and making recommendations after asking a series of health questions, such as whether the customer is taking any other medications.
- Managing the pharmacy and supervising the pharmacy staff.
A license to practice pharmacy is required in all states. To obtain a license you must:
- Graduate from an accredited college of pharmacy (Doctor of Pharmacy, Pharm. D., which requires at least six years of postsecondary study);
- Serve an internship under a licensed pharmacist; and,
- Pass a state examination. For Ohio licensure requirements visit: http://pharmacy.ohio.gov.
- Assist licensed pharmacists in providing medication and other healthcare products to patients.
- Perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication for patients, such as counting tablets and labeling bottles.
- Fill orders, stock cabinets and keep records of drugs delivered to the pharmacy.
- Clean, stock and manage pharmacy equipment and supplies.
- Refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information or health matters to a pharmacist.
Formal pharmacy technician education programs require classroom and laboratory work in a variety of areas, including:
- medical and pharmaceutical terminology
- pharmaceutical calculations
- pharmacy recordkeeping
- pharmaceutical techniques
- pharmacy law and ethics
Technicians are also required to learn medication names, actions, uses, and doses. Students receive a diploma, certificate or an associate's degree, depending on the program.
Most employers require certification. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (http://ptcb.org) administers the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. This exam is voluntary and displays the competency of the individual to act as a pharmacy technician.
Those who pass the exam earn the title of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). For more information, visit: http://ptcb.org.
Pharmacy Technician
- Bohecker College, Ravenna (A)
- Cleveland Clinic - Cleveland (C)
- Cleveland Institute of Dental-Medical Assistants, Inc. - Cleveland, Lyndhurst, Mentor (C)
- Cuyahoga Community College - Metro Campus (A)
- Rasmussen College - Online (C)
- Remington College - Cleveland (D)
- Remington College - Cleveland West (D)
- Total Technical Institute - Cleveland (C)
Pharmacy
- Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) (PharmD)
- Ohio Northern University, Ada (PharmD)
- Ohio State University, Columbus (PharmD)
- University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati (PharmD)
- University of Toledo, Toledo (PharmD)
(Type of program: A=Associate Degree; C=Certificate; D=Diploma; PharmD=Doctorate Degree in Pharmacy)