Pharmacist
Help people get the right medicines and use them safely to treat illnesses or disease.
About the job
Career insights – pharmacist
What it's like
Pull on your white coat, grab the prescription book and get ready for a rewarding career in healthcare!
As a pharmacist, you'll help people access the medicines and drugs they need to safely treat illnesses or diseases. You'll check prescriptions and dispense medicines while adhering to the relevant laws.
You could work as a community pharmacist. In this role, you'll be based in a high-street shop or a hospital pharmacy. You'll give healthcare advice to customers or patients, sell products and prepare medication. Community pharmacists also help run the business and, if you work in a shop, you may supervise staff.
Another option is to work as a pharmacist within a local NHS service. In this role, you may advise General Practitioners (GPs) about prescribing, run a clinic at a doctors' practice or train local prescribers on issues related to managing and prescribing medicines.
Your tasks might include:
assessing people's illnesses or diseases then preparing the correct course of medication and treatment
giving healthcare advice to customers or patients, depending where you're based
telling people how to use medicines correctly, including the amount to take (dosage) and any risks
preparing medicines that people can buy at the counter, and potentially selling other products
advising on the most suitable form of medicine such as a tablet, inhaler or injection
visiting care homes to help the staff effectively use and store medicine
producing medicines when working in a hospital – for example, you may create a treatment or solution when ready-made ones are not available
Some pharmacists work in education or the pharmaceutical industry. In these positions, you may carry out research into new medicines and run clinical trials.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
NHS Scotland Careers – learn how to become a pharmacist
General Pharmaceutical Council – explore the profession's regulatory body
NHS Education for Scotland – find training for healthcare workers, including higher education and professional development
Like the sound of this career?
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Pharmacist'
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- taking responsibility
- delegating
- implementing ideas
- attention to detail
- social conscience
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- listening
- supporting
What are a pharmacist's most important skills?
Pharmacist Eilidh shares her top 3 skills for the job.
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Biology
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Chemistry
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Human Biology
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Physics
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Skills for Work: Health and Social Care
In Scotland, you must have a degree to become a pharmacist.
Let's look at the ways you can work towards earning a degree.
University
You’ll need a degree or postgraduate qualification in Pharmacy. Use the My World of Work course search to find Pharmacy degrees.
Once you've completed your degree, you'll do a paid Foundation Training year. You'll then sit the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) assessment at the end of your Foundation Training year. Once you pass this assessment, you can register with the GPhC and start working as a qualified pharmacist.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Applied Sciences
Chemistry
Biomedical Science
Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP)
Are you an adult who doesn't have the qualifications you need to go to university? You may be able to use the Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP) to kickstart your career as a pharmacist.
Volunteering in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a pharmacist. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Tips for becoming a pharmacist
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