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Pharmacist
Do you enjoy Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy, Mathematics, and Health classes?  Would you like to be an expert in the close relationship between all of these sciences and to continue a tradition of "medicine men" (and women) that has existed for thousands of years?  If so, and if you genuinely enjoy helping people and offering explanations (interpretations) to help others gain understanding, then you should seriously consider a career as a Pharmacist.

Pharmacists dispense drugs/medications prescribed by Physicians and other health practitioners, and they educate patients about medications and their safe use.  Some may advise Physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.  Those who own their store or manage a chain pharmacy spend more time on business activities, such as inventory management.

The duties of a Pharmacist include but are not limited to:  filling prescriptions, verifying Physicians' instructions on proper amounts of medication; checking whether prescriptions will interact negatively with other drugs that a patient is taking or the patient's conditions; instructing patients on how and when to take a prescribed medicine; advising patients on potential side effects they may experience from taking the medicine; advising patients about general health topics (diet, exercise, managing stress, best equipment and supplies for their health problem, etc.); completing insurance forms and working with insurance companies to ensure patients' medicine needs are met; overseeing the work of Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacists-in-training (interns); keeping records and performing other administrative tasks; and teaching other healthcare practitioners about proper medication therapies for patients.

High school students interested in becoming a Pharmacist benefit from taking Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Biology/Anatomy, Nutrition, Health and Physical Education, Physical Science, Chemistry, and Physics.  Students entering Pharmaceutical Science Bachelor's of Science programs with no previous Pharmacy training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.  Pharmacists must have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), a 4-year post-graduate professional degree.  They must also be licensed, which requires passing two licensing exams:  one in pharmacy skills and knowledge, the other in pharmacy law (in the licensing state).

Pharmacists often take continuing education throughout their career to keep up with the latest advances in Pharmacological Science.  While using standard dosages from pharmaceutical companies is typical, Pharmacists sometimes create customized medications by mixing ingredients themselves, a process known as compounding.  Those who work for pharmaceutical manufacturers or for universities, as full-time or part-time professors, are involved in researching and testing new medications.

Most Pharmacists work in retail stores, yet some work in specialized fields.  Outside of retail, Clinical Pharmacists work in hospitals and other healthcare settings where they are involved in direct patient care, recommending medications to give to patients, counseling them on how and when to take medications, and monitoring patients’ health.  Consultant Pharmacists advise healthcare companies and/or insurance providers on how to make pharmacy services more efficient, or they may directly advise patients.

Due to an increase of scientific advances leading to new drug products, more people seeking insurance coverage for medications, and the significant number of Pharmacists set to retire, employment of Pharmacists is expected to increase 25 percent over the next decade.  The number of older people is growing, and they use more prescription medicines than younger people.  And as more people take multiple medications, more Pharmacists will be needed to counsel patients on how to use them safely.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $113,390

Salary Range:  ~$84,490 - $144,090+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
The normal routes to becoming a Pharmacist have been to attain a Bachelor's of Science degree in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Pre-Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences, Biological Sciences (Pharmacology), Biochemistry, Applied Science (Pre-Pharmacy), Health Sciences, Pre-Medical (Pharmacy concentration), Biology (Pharmacy, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Medical, Biomedical Sciences, Pre-Professional, Allied Health Services, or Pre-Allied Health concentration), Chemistry (Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Professional, Biomedical Sciences, or Pre-Health concentration), Allied Health and Pre-Health (Pre-Pharmacy concentration),​ Epidemiology and Biostatistics, or Pre-Professional Education (Pharmacy).

Most programs require applicants to pass the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT).  All Doctor of Pharmacy programs (Pharm.D.) require applicants to have taken post-secondary courses such as Chemistry, Biology, and Anatomy, and they include courses in Pharmacology and Medical Ethics as well as supervised work experiences in different settings such as hospitals and retail pharmacies.  Pharm.D. programs usually take 4 years to complete, although some programs offer a 3-year option.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Pharmacy Schools and related majors are:  Howard University (Washington, DC); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Fisk University (Nashville, Tennessee); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tennessee); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); Xavier University (New Orleans, Louisiana); Winston Salem State University (Winston Salem, North Carolina); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, Georgia); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Texas College (Tyler, Texas); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Langston University (Langston, Oklahoma); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Virginia Union University (Richmond, Virginia); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); St. Augustine's University (Raleigh, North Carolina); LeMoyne-Owen College (Memphis, Tennessee); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Bluefield State College (Bluefield, West Virginia); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Virgina State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); West Virginia State University (Charleston, West Virginia); Wiley College (Marshall, Texas); Harris-Stowe State University (St. Louis, Missouri); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Johnson C. Smith (Charlotte, North Carolina); Lane College (Jackson, Tennessee); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); Voorhees College (Denmark, South Carolina); and Morris College (Sumter, South Carolina).
Available Scholarships