Discover Different Pharmacy Careers for Your Future

Are you interested in a career in health care and passionate about helping people get well? If so, then getting your PharmD at Pacific University is the right place to begin your pharmacy career as a health care provider.

Who is a Pharmacist?

• A pharmacist is a medication specialist who possesses the highest level of medication knowledge among all health professionals.
• A pharmacist is a health care professional practicing in various settings including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, community or retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical industry, government and other organizations.
• Pharmacists are patient-focused, career-ready clinicians who provide health care as members of an interprofessional team.
• The entry level degree to become a pharmacist is the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).
• The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) is a doctorate degree, and upon graduation you have a designation as Doctor of Pharmacy.
• While not a requirement, many PharmD students have work experience as pharmacy technicians or as pharmacy aides.

Why Should I Pursue a Pharmacy Career?

• Due to specific training and education, a pharmacist — as a medication expert — is an important member of the health care interprofessional team ensuring safe and appropriate medication use and positive patient health outcomes.
• As a pharmacist you can practice in a variety of different settings ranging from community pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics to the government or pharmaceutical companies in medical and regulatory affairs.
• In some states, such as the state of Oregon, pharmacists also have provider status and practice under a collaborative practice agreement allowing for prescribing/stopping/changing medications, ordering and monitoring labs, conducting independent patient visits, and more.
• As a pharmacist you can become a specialist in cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, infectious disease, oncology, emergency medicine, internal medicine and many other fields.
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a pharmacist is $132,750 per year or $63.82 per hour.