What Degree Do You Need to Be a Pharmacist?

As the Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us, pharmacists play a vital role in both providing healthcare (dispensing medication and drug info as well as conducting certain tests, like cholesterol screenings) and implementing public health initiatives (administering free, government-provided Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, like Paxlovid). With an aging population and public health concerns on the rise, the need for well-trained pharmacists is greater than ever.

Pharmacists must earn an advanced degree (more on that in a minute) to practice. They also need several critical skills. These include:

• Management skills: In addition to filling prescriptions, administering vaccinations, and answering questions about medications, pharmacists have a department to run—whether it’s at a pharmaceutical company, hospital pharmacy, drug store, or other healthcare settings. Managing orders and supplies, contacting doctors and insurance companies, and overseeing patient care require cooperation and good product and people management skills.
• Financial acumen: Mastering the financial aspects of pharmacy practice represents another big component of the job, which includes overseeing drug inventory and managing accounts and payroll.
• Interpersonal and communication skills: Pharmacists are privy to a patient’s private and personal information like past illnesses, diagnoses, test results, insurance, and personal details, so discretion is vital. They also need to be able to discuss these sometimes-difficult topics with patients and have to instruct, inform, and reassure people who may have anxiety about a new medication or allergies to a drug. Pharmacists are often the go-between in communications with patients, doctors, nurses, and insurance companies, so clear and concise communication is critical.
• Multitasking: Anyone who has watched a busy pharmacy operate knows that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians behind the counter must multitask. Checking allergy information, discussing drug interactions, answering phones, and responding to customer questions can all take place at once. Remaining clear on what you’re doing isn’t just good customer service; it also keeps patients safe.
• Accuracy and attention to detail: Pharmacology is a science, and accuracy is important for patient safety. Staying on top of drug interactions, dosage, and instructions from doctors and other healthcare providers all contribute to best practices and outcomes.
• Computer and tech skills: Pharmacists apply their computer and tech skills to everything from research and prescription monitoring, to robotic formulations and processing. Technology is taking a strong lead in medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, and being current on the tech part of the job helps with efficiency and accuracy.

Some of the above-mentioned skills are innate; others are learned. Where does one cultivate the unique set of skills and knowledge required to become a pharmacist? This article answers the question what degree do you need to be a pharmacist, as well as:

• What is a Doctor of Pharmacy degree?
• What are the top schools that offer a doctor of pharmacy degree?

What degree do you need to be a pharmacist?

To become a pharmacist, you need to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The PharmD qualifies you not only to work as a pharmacist in a retail or medical setting but also to teach pharmacists, serve as a government regulator, or work in pharmaceutical industry research and manufacturing.

Other pharmacy roles don’t require the same credentials. Pharmacy technicians (or pharmacy techs), for instance, can work with a high school degree plus certification and a few years of related work experience. They perform some of the same tasks as pharmacists, including taking patient information, processing prescription requests and filling prescriptions, answering questions about medicine dosages, performing inventory management, reviewing patient records, processing insurance claims, and making payment clarifications.

What is a Doctor of Pharmacy degree?

A Doctor of Pharmacy degree is the professional credential required for all practicing pharmacists in the US. The Doctor of Pharmacy, which typically takes four years to complete, combines rigorous didactic instruction with a series of clinical rotations in specialty areas of practice. The PharmD degree program also prepares you for the licensure exams required before you can practice.

Admissions requirements/prerequisites

To be an eligible candidate for a pharmacy program, you will need to have completed prerequisite undergraduate coursework in science and math, typically acquired through a bachelor’s degree in science like chemistry or biology or two years of undergraduate pre-pharmacy prep classes.
At Butler University, for instance, this includes general chemistry with lab (two semesters), organic chemistry with lab (two semesters), cell biology, microbiology with lab, human anatomy and physiology (two semesters; lab not required), and calculus.

Admissions requirements vary by program, but in most instances applicants must submit transcripts, Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores, personal statements, and letters of recommendation to their schools of choice through the standardized Pharmacy College Application Service application process.

If you’re interested in becoming a licensed pharmacist, begin planning early, maybe even before you receive your high school diploma. Aspiring pharmacists need to build a strong science background beginning in high school and continuing through their undergraduate coursework (some pharmacy programs accept applicants out of high school for a six-year course of study).

Curriculum

A Doctor of Pharmacy program involves four years of professional study—didactic instruction combined with clinical rotations that emphasize patient care and hands-on experience. Scholarships and loans can ease the cost of earning your degree.

First-year lectures and labs include classes in pharmaceutical science, including pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacokinetics, and in biological sciences: biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and immunology. Coursework also covers pharmacy law, interprofessional education, teamwork, hospital practice, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacy management, and public health.

Pharmacy rotations typically begin in a student’s second year of study. Clinical rotations are assigned in a variety of practice sites, allowing students to gain experience in specialized settings and focused specialties like pediatrics, acute care, cardiology, critical care, or oncology with healthcare professional preceptors/mentors. The final year ends with a capstone project and direct and non-direct patient care electives.

Specialization

Pharmacy students can choose from many specializations, including pediatrics, geriatrics, critical care, infectious disease, surgery, neurology, psycho-pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy, and cardiology. Some postgraduate students may choose to continue training through an internship or residency program—before or after licensing—to gain experience in their chosen field.

Exams for licensure

The career path of a pharmacist includes a commitment to life-long learning and continuing education. You must pass several exams to pursue a state license and begin work.

After graduation, aspiring pharmacists must take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX), which evaluates general practice knowledge acquired during the Doctor of Pharmacy program. Graduates and licensed pharmacists who want to practice in another state must also take the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE), which assesses knowledge of regulations for specific states and jurisdictions.

What are the top schools that offer a doctor of pharmacy degree?

There are a number of excellent in-person and online Doctor of Pharmacy programs in the US, including:

• Butler University
• Ohio State
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University
• University of California – San Francisco
• University of Florida
• University of Illinois – Chicago
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of Wisconsin – Madison

(Last Updated on February 26, 2024)

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