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Morgan Dang

Ms. Dadabhoy

English 2 Honors

22 May 2016

Word Count: 2090

The World of Pharmacy

As you enter your first moments of your childhood, your first instinct is to admire those

who are superior and those who appear extravagant to you, like superman or an astronaut.

Naturally as a child, you would want to set your goal to be exactly who your hero is when you’re

grown up, but as you pass through life, your views will change as you mature. As a child, I

wanted to be a jedi from Star Wars but as I grew up, my perspective changed and so did reality.

Life became tougher and reality kicked in so that’s when I realized who I wanted to be and what

I wanted to do in order to be a successful woman in life. After my grandma was diagnosed with

breast cancer in 2011, the dream of becoming a jedi stayed a dream and becoming a Pharmacist

became a reality. Knowing that I have to live up to my family’s expectations and compete with

other family members my age contributed to why I want to become a Pharmacist. Besides the

fact that I strive to make my family proud, achieving my goal of becoming a Pharmacist will

hopefully cure my family, other people of sickness, pay good money to provide for myself and

my future family, and challenge myself to see what I’m capable of achieving if I strive for the

best.

In order to successfully become a full fledged pharmacist, there are many tasks that I

must complete prior to becoming a pharmacist. The specific high school classes and activities
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that I must take in order to succeed in this field would be, “​Take as many mathematics and

science courses as you can. Even though the SIUE School of Pharmacy will not look at your high

school grades, a good science/math background will prepare you for the many science courses

that are included in the pre-pharmacy curriculum,” (SIUE School of Pharmacy). Succeeding in

becoming a pharmacist requires years of education and training in order to acquire the necessary

knowledge and skill of pharmacy. Mathematics and science are two crucial and significant

courses to take throughout high school and college to help prepare for this career. Courses like

biology, chemistry, physics, physiology, algebra 1 and 2, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, etc.

will help grasp the concept of pharmacy better. Taking AP classes in high school can also benefit

as well. After graduating high school, there are many schools and colleges where I could receive

training for this career like USC, UCI, UCSF, etc. USC School of Pharmacy is ranked as the #1

private pharmacy school and ranked #9 among all pharmacy schools. The School of Pharmacy

provides students with the basic training and education necessary for pharmacy and, “The

School’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program combines rigorous basic science education

with extensive and varied clinical experiences so that graduates will be prepared to contribute to

revolutionizing the future of health care through new discoveries and innovations to improve

patient lives,” (USC School of Pharmacy). Although the dream of becoming a pharmacist is

alluring, the pathway to success into the field of pharmacy comes with vigorous effort and work.

Being a pharmacist comes with many responsibilities and it’s more than just organizing

and counting pills. Generally, a pharmacist’s responsibility is to order, prepare, and dispensed

prescribed medication. Other than dispensing medication, pharmacists also need to guide patients

in the right direction and provide them with information about the medication they are taking,
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“Pharmacists should also be mindful of public health and safety, ensuring everyone under their

supervision (including themselves) follows safety protocols when it comes to the storage and

distribution of medication,” (Learn How To Become). A pharmacist’s job is more than just

handing medication over to sick patients. Pharmacists tend to be systematic and pay attention to

detail, which contributes to the accurate and organized aspects of a pharmacist. In order to speak

to interact with a patient, pharmacists must communicate to give detail about the type of

medication the patient is consuming, “Pharmacists must also be good communicators to clearly

explain the steps involved in taking medication and avoiding potentially harmful side effects,”

(Learn How To Become). Caring for patients is one of the contributing factors of the

responsibilities pharmacists must take on to maintain their career in pharmacy. Pharmacists

carefully and logically choose the right kind of medicine that suits the patient in order to cure

them of their illness. They are also responsible for supplying medication constantly so that if the

patient is in need of more medication, there is always enough medication in stock for the patient

to use. In addition, pharmacists are responsible for recording patient medical histories. A

pharmacist must help every patient in every way possible to help decrease their risk of sickness

and that’s what I love about being a pharmacist. I love the feeling of being of help to someone

especially if I contributed to the healing of oneself. It brings me joy when I learn that I have been

a contributing factor to a person’s well being. I love the idea of giving the antidote or medication

to a patient, knowing that I have helped in some sort of way and that it has created a great impact

in their lives. However, being a pharmacist can become very repetitive and eventually I might

grow tired and bored of the career over the course of time. Although the job can be dull and

repetitive, the assets of my personality match well with the occupation of being a pharmacist.
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Usually, many community and hospital pharmacies are open to extended hours, so

pharmacists are expected to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Since most

pharmacies are open to extended hours,​ “Most full-time salaried pharmacists worked about 43

hours a week. Some, including many self-employed pharmacists, worked more than 50 hours a

week. About one out of five pharmacists worked part time in 2009,” (Explore Health Careers). A

pharmacist’s work environment tend to be in clean areas, especially because pharmacists handle

medication, “Pharmacists usually work in clean, well-lit and well-ventilated areas,” (Explore

Health Careers). Pharmacists aren’t placed in one exact facility for the rest of their career. Their

medical environment can vary in drug stores, hospitals, private businesses, or long-term

facilities. In most pharmacies, pharmacists spend most of their time working on their feet,

organizing and dispensing medicine for patients. Most pharmacists tend to not travel as much for

work, but, “​Consultant pharmacists may travel to nursing homes or other facilities to monitor

patients' drug therapy” (Explore Health Careers). Pharmacists usually stay in their work facility,

but some travel to other facilities to monitor a patient’s drug usage. Pharmacy can be a very

stressful career because of the certain people pharmacists have to deal with and the debt that is

left after being admitted into pharmacy school. Although pharmacy is a well secure job that

makes good money, it can be very stressful because pharmacists have to deal with massive

amounts of people all at once. They have to deal with many people who have the same demand

for medication as well as good service. Being admitted into a school of pharmacy is stressful as

well because the workload, time, effort, and money spent in school can be very stressful just for

trying to get into one career. The subtle, peaceful, and clean work setting would definitely suit

my liking. I like to work in clean and spacious areas, however I don’t think I would like to work
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in a space where it’s cramped. The only downside that I’m afraid of is how hectic it can get if

there are massive waves of people demanding medicines and I can already picture the chaotic

environment in the facility rushing to please people’s needs.

An inexperienced pharmacist would usually have the lowest pay especially since they just

started out. Their wage would be around $89,320 which is the lowest pay as a pharmacist that is

just starting out. Pharmacists are ranked as one of the highest paying jobs in the nation and the

general pay for an experienced pharmacist would be $120,950. As US News & World Report

says, “The median annual salary for a pharmacist was $120,950, or $58.15 per hour, in 2014.

The best-paid 10 percent made $150,550, while the lowest-paid made $89,320,” (US News &

World Report). In order for a pharmacist to go on vacation or have time off, they have to request

time off and get it approved from the department management. Pharmacists may request a leave

of absence, but there is no guarantee that it will be granted. As said by the United States

Department of Labor, “Sick leave will be accrued at a rate of eight (8) hours for every 173.33

hours paid. If the employee is ill and misses a full ten (10) hour shift, he/she will be entitled to

ten (10) hours of sick leave if he/she has accrued ten (10) hours,” (United States Department of

Labor). If a pharmacist is on a leave of absence, their pay will receive 80 hours of pay when

using 70 hours of accrued sick leave. This occupation will definitely provide me with more than

enough income for me to live. The pay is extremely high and this way I will be able to pay my

bills without a problem and afford other necessities, that is unless I lose my job as a pharmacist

or not get the job as a pharmacist at all.

Pharmacy is slowly progressing into a more available career to get into because more

people are having their prescriptions filled online or through mail order. As US News and World
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Report states, “​However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a slower-than-average 3 percent

employment growth for pharmacists by 2024, with the field adding 9,100 new jobs. Employment

of pharmacists is expected to decline slightly in traditional retail settings because more people

are having their prescriptions filled online or through mail order,” (US News & World Report).

Although statistics predict that the employment for pharmacy will increase, the demand for

medication through pharmacy is still going on. The availability for pharmacy jobs is 9,100 and

the unemployment rate is 1.6%. However, the demand for pharmacy still remains in tact as said

in US News and World Report, “The unique mix of medicinal knowledge and interpersonal

skills required to run a pharmacy counter remain in demand,​” ​(US World and News Report).

Pharmacy requires a lot of patience and productiveness. I feel that the important assets

that one should have in order to be successful in this field, is patience and work ethic. The key to

being successful in the field of pharmacy is to be patient with others and try your best to select

the right kind of medication that the patient needs the most. As I have researched more about

pharmacy, there are some people who absolutely dread the job because they don’t have enough

patience and energy to keep working. Pharmacy is unbelievably difficult to get into and I believe

that you can acquire happiness and success with effort and patience. The thing I like most about

Pharmacy is that it’s very peaceful and reliable. I’m a very quiet person and I enjoy peace and

cleanliness. This occupation fits my personality the most because I tend to be a very low key

person and I love the feeling of helping people and giving them what they need, Pharmacists can

be instrumental in improving the health of patients by choosing the best medicines and helping to

avoid side effects,” (American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy). I like to feel that I matter

in the world and that I have a place in this world. I want to do and feel that through pharmacy. I
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value the helpfulness that comes with this occupation. I believe that this job will teach me how to

be less selfish and think of others for a change. This occupation will significantly help my family

and I tenfold. I value my family and friends more than anything in the world and I believe that

going into pharmacy will not only make my family proud, but it will also help my family and I

financially and healthwise. Becoming a pharmacist will also make me become a highly respected

member of my community as said in AACP, “​Pharmacists are visible leaders in our community

who are entrusted with the health of our families,” (American Association of Colleges of

Pharmacy).

Works Cited

"Prospective Students." ​Resources for High School Students​. Web. 22 May 2016.

<http://www.siue.edu/pharmacy/prospective/highschool.shtml>.

"Top Ten Reasons to Become a Pharmacist." ​AACP -​. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.

<http://www.aacp.org/resources/student/pharmacyforyou/Pages/toptenreasons.aspx>.

"How Much Can a Pharmacist Expect to Get Paid?" ​Pharmacist Salary Information​. Web. 22

May 2016.

<http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/pharmacist/salary>.

"ExploreHealthCareers.org." ​Pharmacist​. Web. 18 May 2016.

<http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/14/Pharmacist>.

"Occupation Profile." ​America's Career InfoNet: Select an Occupation​. Web. 22 May 2016.

<http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep>.

"University of Southern California." ​USC School of Pharmacy​. Web. 22 May 2016.

<http://pharmacyschool.usc.edu/>.
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"Best Pharmacy Programs | Top Pharmacy Schools | US News Best Grad Schools." ​Best Pharmacy

Programs | Top Pharmacy Schools | US News Best Grad Schools​. Web. 22 May 2016.

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/phar

macy-rankings>.

"How to Become a Pharmacist | Pharmacist Careers." ​How to Become​. Web. 22 May 2016.

<http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/pharmacist/>.

"Pharmacist Education and Career Training Information." ​Study.com​. Web. 22 May 2016.

<http://study.com/pharmacist_education.html>.

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