What Is Pharmacy?
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, and monitoring medications to ensure safe, effective, and affordable treatment. The practice of pharmacy is unique because it links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences.
Pharmacists are licensed health care professionals who work in pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, medical offices, universities, and governmental facilities to fill prescriptions and help patients with questions about medication and side effects. They also play an important role in drug research and development.
While people have been using plants and other natural substances as medicines for thousands of years, professional pharmacy began to emerge in the mid-nineteenth century. Pharmacy is now a complex and specialized field that requires extensive training and knowledge of both the scientific and medical aspects of drugs and their proper use.
Pharmacy is a demanding career that may require long hours, including evenings and weekends. It’s important for anyone considering a career as a pharmacist to think through their motivations carefully and be sure that this is the right path for them. In addition, individuals interested in pharmacy should be aware of the educational and licensing requirements in their state.
As a pharmacy student, you will likely need to have a high school diploma or equivalent and complete college-level courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics. You’ll then need to graduate from an accredited pharmacy school and pass both the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). After you’ve passed these exams, you can become licensed by your state board of pharmacy.
Pharmacy students often participate in experiential education, which means that they work in health care settings alongside experienced pharmacists. This can expose them to more health risks than a typical university student. Therefore, all OHSU pharmacy students are required to have high-quality health insurance or request a waiver if they already have coverage that meets the necessary criteria. You can learn more about the OHSU student health insurance program and waiver criteria on the student health insurance website.
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, and monitoring medications to ensure safe, effective, and affordable treatment. The practice of pharmacy is unique because it links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences. Pharmacists are licensed health care professionals who work in pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, medical offices, universities, and governmental facilities to fill prescriptions and help patients with questions about medication and side effects. They also play an important role in drug research and development. While people have been using plants and other natural substances as medicines for thousands of years, professional pharmacy began to emerge in the mid-nineteenth century. Pharmacy is now a complex and specialized field that requires extensive training and knowledge of both the scientific and medical aspects of drugs and their proper use. Pharmacy is a demanding career that may require long hours, including evenings and weekends. It’s important for anyone considering a career as a pharmacist to think through their motivations carefully and be sure that this is the right path for them. In addition, individuals interested in pharmacy should be aware of the educational and licensing requirements in their state. As a pharmacy student, you will likely need to have a high school diploma or equivalent and complete college-level courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics. You’ll then need to graduate from an accredited pharmacy school and pass both the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). After you’ve passed these exams, you can become licensed by your state board of pharmacy. Pharmacy students often participate in experiential education, which means that they work in health care settings alongside experienced pharmacists. This can expose them to more health risks than a typical university student. Therefore, all OHSU pharmacy students are required to have high-quality health insurance or request a waiver if they already have coverage that meets the necessary criteria. You can learn more about the OHSU student health insurance program and waiver criteria on the student health insurance website.