Pharmacy Career
PHARMACY CAREER
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Pharmacy Careers Daniel F. Bohmer Saint Leo University
PHARMACY CAREER
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Finding a career within the pharmacy profession holds appeal for many reasons: a strong job market, high pay, work equality, divergent career opportunities and favorable working conditions in a profession that consistently ranks at the top in Gallup’s annual poll of most trusted professions. Careers all across the ever-evolving health care industry have seen consistent growth in demand over the last several years, with no projections for slowing down. Pharmacists can look forward to higher than average employment opportunities. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projects a 25% growth in demand through 2020. This increase is attributed to an ageing population, advances in medicine, increased number of people with insurance coverage and the expanding role of pharmacists in patient care. Additionally, pharmacy students have the envious distinction of a nearly 100% job placement in their career field within a year of graduation. Another appealing aspect of the profession is pharmacists enjoy a relatively high median salary. In the most recent statistics published by the BLS, the median wage is nearly $115,000 per year. Earning potential is projected to continue to rise due to the predicted high growth in jobs, without a corresponding increase in the number of graduates entering the profession. When it comes to work equality, careers in pharmacy continue to top the charts. With women making up nearly two-thirds of the pharmacy profession, the pay gap between men and women has nearly been eliminated. In a 2012 article published in Forbes, pharmacy was listed as the number one best-paying job for women. The pharmacy profession opens the door for numerous career opportunities across widely diverse employment settings. In a pharmacist career guide published by Pfizer, there are no less than 28 unique practice areas described. They range
1
Pharmacy Careers Daniel F. Bohmer Saint Leo University
PHARMACY CAREER
2
Finding a career within the pharmacy profession holds appeal for many reasons: a strong job market, high pay, work equality, divergent career opportunities and favorable working conditions in a profession that consistently ranks at the top in Gallup’s annual poll of most trusted professions. Careers all across the ever-evolving health care industry have seen consistent growth in demand over the last several years, with no projections for slowing down. Pharmacists can look forward to higher than average employment opportunities. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projects a 25% growth in demand through 2020. This increase is attributed to an ageing population, advances in medicine, increased number of people with insurance coverage and the expanding role of pharmacists in patient care. Additionally, pharmacy students have the envious distinction of a nearly 100% job placement in their career field within a year of graduation. Another appealing aspect of the profession is pharmacists enjoy a relatively high median salary. In the most recent statistics published by the BLS, the median wage is nearly $115,000 per year. Earning potential is projected to continue to rise due to the predicted high growth in jobs, without a corresponding increase in the number of graduates entering the profession. When it comes to work equality, careers in pharmacy continue to top the charts. With women making up nearly two-thirds of the pharmacy profession, the pay gap between men and women has nearly been eliminated. In a 2012 article published in Forbes, pharmacy was listed as the number one best-paying job for women. The pharmacy profession opens the door for numerous career opportunities across widely diverse employment settings. In a pharmacist career guide published by Pfizer, there are no less than 28 unique practice areas described. They range
References: Best jobs in America (2012). Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 201213 Edition. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm Giorgianni, S. (2002). Full preparation: The Pfizer guide to careers in pharmacy. New York: Pfizer Pharmaceutical Group, Pfizer, Inc. Goudreau, J. (2012, July). The 20 Best-Paying Jobs For Women In 2012. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com Moore, S. (2012). Why choose a career in pharmacy. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com Newport, F. (2012, December). Congress retains low honesty rating: Nurses have highest honesty rating; car salespeople, lowest. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com Noton, A. (2013). The advantages of choosing a pharmacy career. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com The 100 best jobs. (2013). Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com 4