Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

Pharmacist
The most poetic thing in this world is not being sick. G.K. Chesterton could not have
been any more correct in saying this quote, and every day that I am at work as a pharmacy
technician, I believe it a little more. It is a very daunting task to work with sick patients day in
and day out. To see people at their worst is nothing that any person ever wants to do and as a
proud member of healthcare, it is nothing short of amazing to know that this is exactly what we
do every day. We help people in need in order to let them gain strength to achieve their best
overall health. As a Lead Pharmacy Technician, I feel that I am making some strides in peoples
lives, but as a Pharmacist, I know that I would be doing so much more than that for them. I
basically grew up in a pharmacy. I remember licking the packaging peanuts medicine came in
and sticking them together, or popping the bubble wrap while my dad, a clinical pharmacist,
helped people with their medications. One day, I remember, he was called in the middle of the
night to make a heart medication for a patient that was having a heart attack and it turned out, the
patient was a near and dear friend to the family. That memory had impacted my life, and ever
since then, I wanted to be a pharmacist, and I wanted to be a part of bettering peoples lives on
their path to a healthy lifestyle.

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

Everyone just thinks that a pharmacy is a one stop place to just pick up your order, pay
the man some money and go home. Sounds like a fast food joint right? Wrong. A pharmacist
does so many things in a day that it is unbelievable. Imagine, if you can that john smith went to
his regular doctor and got a medication for a recent chest pain he has been having but didnt
seem too major, however later he ended up in an emergency room and they prescribed him with
a medication and sent him home. Well, the doctor may not have been made aware of any
previous meds the patient was using, and it is the pharmacist that realized the two medications
together may kill the man. In turn, he corrects the error and the man lives (as well as the doctor
that wrote the med.) Another doctor may prescribe a med that a patient may have a serious
allergy to, and it is the pharmacist that prevents a reaction to it. Pharmacists do all the work of
making medications to dispense to patients, and at the same time, they deal with any interactions,
as well as take care of symptoms, etc. In a hospital, the pharmacist is responsible for making all
of the IVs (intravenous medications) and the meds that are to be injected. This route of
administration is the fastest and is known to save lives. A pharmacist must think quickly in order
to calculate the correct amounts of liquids to be used or dispensed in order to save someone. All
meds in an E.R. are made by pharmacists there at the pharmacy. It is critical to have someone

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

that can make something quickly that is suited to your body and allergies. For that very reason,
hospitals need pharmacists.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pharmacists work in pharmacies, including
those in grocery and drug stores. They also work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. This
means that they basically work in either retail stores, which are usually busy and have many
patients getting maintenance medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc. or they
work in a hospital where they make all medicine from scratch to be made into an IV. In a retail
pharmacy, there is going to be a computer system that can connect with both the hospitals as well
as the insurance companies to directly bill the patients. There will also be a method of counting
medication, be it via hand with trays or via pill counter. Also, all records of patient history must
be kept for ten years as per federal law. In a clinical pharmacy, there will be specialty hoods for
compounding that remove chemicals, in addition to a large array of medical supplies for mixing
medicine, such as syringes, vials, flasks, cylinders, etc. Retail pharmacies usually work a typical
week with shifts varying from 9-5 or swing shifts for the pharmacies that are open late. Clinical
pharmacists may have a position that is traditional or may even be on call and have to go to the
pharmacy or E.R. at a moments notice. The occupational outlook handbook states that the
median annual wage for pharmacists was $121,500 in May 2015, but can earn up to $151,000.

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

According to Roseman University here in Henderson, the tuition is roughly $50,000 for a year
for a three year degree program. That means that the total debt is usually around $150000, which
is significantly less than other positions in this salary range.
It is true that in the past, there was a horrible shortage for pharmacists and as a result,
many schools have opened their doors to pharmacy degree programs. They have even made
themselves more appealing by offering a PhD in three years with an MBA. This has caused a
massive influx of pharmacists to hit the market, and with a growth rate of over 20% in the 2000s
there is now only a projected 10 year growth of 3% for the future (US Labor Statistics). Even
though these are grim statistics, I still find that it wouldnt be difficult to find a position with a
pharmacy as long as you have the right experience and knowledge for the position. Biochemists
and Medical Scientists both are very relatable in terms to the position of being a pharmacist in
regards to the schooling needed and they both show an 8% growth rate, however they both only
average an $80,000 salary according to the Bureau. The bureau does say that those out of school
that choose to do a residency with a hospital greatly improve their odds of having a career in the
field.
To become a pharmacist, a student would have to finish a PharmD. Program at an
accredited university. They would then have to pass and finish the NAPLEX, which is the

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

national pharmacist exam. After passing the exam, they may or may not be required to do
additional exams as per their state needs (NAPLEX). According to Roseman University, in order
to get into the program, you must complete 60 university credits with a minimum 2.8 GPA and
must complete several science prerequisites. Upon entry to the program, it will be a 3 year
program with a round year schooling style focusing on one class at a time. After graduating,
graduates are required to become residents and must do an internship or residency with a local
pharmacy. This will greatly improve the odds of getting a solid career. After getting the career,
pharmacists are required to finish CE credits, or continuing education. This is typically 30 hours
of schooling with updates to medicines etc. (NAPLEX).
There are many reasons to be a pharmacist, and even though the salary and benefits of a
full time career as a pharmacist are very appealing, I feel that helping people daily is a great
benefit as a healthcare professional. In addition, pharmacists work with state of the art
technology and have a wide range of possibilities outside of the normal career. They are a major
reason for helping people change their lives to become healthier, and they are the most trusted
position there is (Herald Journal). According to Gallup polls in the Herald, They have been at the
top 3 professions for most trusted professional for over 27 years now. That is amazing and could
be due to their knowledge of medicines and patients combined. Of course that doesnt mean that

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

there arent any negative aspects to being a pharmacist. Pharmacists have a very high paced and
high stressed career. Alongside that, they must go through serious training and are required to
stand long hours throughout the day. Many pharmacies are short staffed and it is up to the
pharmacist on duty to pick up the deficit (Brown).
In short, being a pharmacist requires getting 2 years of prerequisites, finishing a 3-4 year
degree, passing a difficult test, and enduring a 1 year residency. But it all pays off with a
promising salary and I believe a fair job outlook as many new technologies or positions may
open up. Even though there are some downfalls like long hours or high stress. You will always
take comfort in the fact that you are helping all of your patients to better themselves. When it is
all said and done, I still think I have a promising future as a pharmacist and am excited to say
that I intend on being one someday hopefully soon. I have finished my prerequisites and am truly
hoping to be accepted to Roseman University here in Henderson this fall.

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 201617 Edition, Pharmacists, Web.
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm (visited November 02, 2016).
"2016 Pharmacy Hiring Outlook | Rx Relief." 2016 Pharmacy Hiring Outlook | Rx Relief. . Web.
03 Nov. 2016.
Brown, Denise. "The Disadvantages of Being a Pharmacist." Work. Chron, Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

Jensen, By Lynda. "Pharmacists: A Matter of Trust." Pharmacists: A Matter of Trust. Web. 03

Nov. 2016.
"NAPLEX | NABP." NABP. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
Stolte, Scott. "Roseman University of Health Sciences." Roseman.edu. Roseman University,
Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

Source
Quality

In Text
Citations/Wo
rks Cited

A
At least three
sources. One
source is from
the
Occupational
Outlook
Handbook, one
from a college
or training
program, and
one is from a
workplace job
posting. May
include an
interview of
someone
already
working in that
career.
All source material
is correctly cited in
the text per MLA
formatting
guidelines,
whether the source
is quoted or
paraphrased.
Includes a
correctly formatted
Works Cited page.

Idea
Developmen
t

Author
interprets
source
material,
connects one

B
At least
three
sources, but
one of them
is not from
one of the
required
sites.
Sources
seem
reliable
otherwise.

C
At least
three
sources but
they do not
come from
the required
sites.

D
Less than
three
sources.

F
No source
material.

All source
material is
correctly cited
in the text but
with a minor
error or two.
Entire paper is
correctly
formatted for
MLA Style and
includes a
Works Cited
page.
Author
interprets
the source
material,
but the

Most of the
source
material is
cited, but
the citations
are in the
wrong style
or incorrectly
formatted.

Occasional
references
to sources
but unclear
as to what
quote goes
with which
source .
Includes
some links
but they are
not properly
cited.
Author
makes
claims that
are not
based on

Missing in
text
citations.
Missing
Works Cited
page.

Author
quotes and
paraphrases
source
material but

Author
merely
repeats
source
material

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

Organization

Conventions

source to
another,
provides own
insight and
interpretation
of sources.
Demonstrates
integration of
source
material rather
than mere
regurgitation
of facts.
Author
employs
smooth, logical
transitions
between
paragraphs,
between
source
material and
interpretation
and between
various
sources.
Transitions do
not draw
attention to
themselves.
No sentence
fragments or
run on
sentences.
Verb tense is
consistent.
Subjects and
verbs agree in

connections
may be
unclear in
one area or
they are not
adequately
explained.

does not
connect the
quotes to
each other
or to his or
her own
interpretatio
ns.

source
material and
makes
assumptions
without
grounding
them in
research.

without
explanation.
Quotes and
paraphrases
bear little
relation to
each other
or the topic.
Or may be
missing
evidence.

Author
employs
logical
transitions
but they
may be a bit
cruder than
in an A
paper.

Author
employs
transitions,
but they are
choppy and
awkward.

Essay may
be missing a
crucial
element like
an adequate
conclusion,
but
otherwise
has a
rudimentary
structure.

No evidence
of
paragraphs
or structure.
No
transitions.

Three or
Four minor
errors in
punctuation,
grammar or
spelling that
do not
interfere

Five or six
minor errors
in
punctuation,
grammar or
spelling that
do not
interfere

Seven or
eight errors.
Errors begin
to interfere
with
meaning.

Nine or
more errors.
Errors make
essay
difficult to
read.

Philip Harvey

Ms. Robinson

Career Outlook

11/01/16

number,
pronouns
always have
antecedents
which
appropriately
match. Correct
grammar,
spelling,
capitalization
and
punctuation
throughout.

with
meaning.

with
meaning.

You managed to make a fairly dry and straightforward assignment both entertaining and
informative, which I appreciate! Watch out for a few grammatical errors. A 95