PharmD
What is a PharmD?
A PharmD is a professional doctorate degree also known as a Doctor of Pharmacy. Students pursuing this degree either take three to four years of undergraduate pre-requisite coursework, then spend four years in the professional program or partake in a condensed 6-year program with 2 years of pre-requisite coursework and 4 years of training. Once students graduate, in order to practice as a Pharmacist, they must pass the NAPLEX licensing exam.
Benefits of a PharmD Degree
A PharmD degree is quicker to obtain than a PhD or an MD and is a comparable degree because it provides a high level of expertise. The advantage of a PharmD is that it provides a more tailored educational experience for the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry provides strong job stability and there is consistently a high demand for pharmacists. There are many other great benefits of this career path, such as:
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- Improving Patient Outcomes– Pharmacists have in depth knowledge about treatment options and drug interactions to help provide patients with the best treatment plan possible.
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- Autonomy– Pharmacists have the ability to choose their work environment between an industry and community setting and their hours if they choose the latter.
- Flexibility– Due to the need for Pharmacists in many different settings and the nontraditional work schedules, it allows a lot of opportunity for work-life balance.
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Jobs Types for a PharmD
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- Clinical Pharmacy– hospital pharmacists, working primarily with healthcare providers and often make rounds with physicians.
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- Community Pharmacy– local pharmacy such as a drug or grocery store, working primarily with patients in the community.
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- Governmental Agencies– pharmacists working with local, state and national health agencies.
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- Home Health Care– pharmacists in the home health care setting provide medications, treatments, chemotherapy, etc. to patients who have left the hospital setting.
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- Managed Care- pharmacists working for health plans and pharmacy management companies and negotiating drug pricing to ensure cost effectiveness for patients.
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- Pharmaceutical Industry– opportunities for pharmacists to work in research, safety, education, regulatory and sales support within the industry.
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- Pharmacy Education– pharmacists teaching incoming PharmD students or continuing education courses.
- Consulting– pharmacists providing pharmaceutical expertise for sponsors, academic institutions or government agencies
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Jobs for a PharmD in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Pharmacists are deeply educated in the pharmacology of drugs and how any one drug may interact adversely or positively with another drug. This knowledge and expertise makes them a great asset to a drug development team in the Pharmaceutical industry. There are many opportunities for pharmacists in this space such as:
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- Clinical Research– PharmD’s are eligible for associate and management roles in research.
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- Drug Safety– PharmD’s are hired to help review adverse effects of drugs, help with clinical trials, review study results and safety information
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- Regulatory Affairs – PharmD’s are hired to ensure that drugs in development meet regulatory standards for drug approval and assist in product labeling
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- Marketing and Sales Support– PharmD’s are often hired to communicate and meet with other Pharmacists in the field.
- Education and Training– PharmD’s are hired to provide educational training/mentorship/workshops on any facet of the clinical drug development program to ensure that all clinical/scientific and technical aspects of the final drug product are successfully met. This includes attention to the Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory, Clinical, CMC, Commercial and Legal requirements.
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If you are looking for career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry please check out our current openings here. If you would like to discuss your professional development please email info@pharmaout.com and one of our recruiters will be in touch. We look forward to working with you!
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