Pharmacist jobs are wide and varied. Some are salaried employees, while others are self-employed. In the USA, almost a quarter of all qualified pharmacists work in hospitals. Others work in clinics, pharmaceutical wholesalers, internet pharmacies, or for the government. To be a pharmacist, you have to have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm. D).

The main job of pharmacists is to dispense prescription medications to patients. In addition, they give information about medications to help patients understand the doctor's instructions. A pharmacist will also monitor the patient's progress and response to the medications to ensure they are working safely and effectively.

Those who work in an independent pharmacy can become a partner in the business once they have sufficient experience and raised enough capital to buy a share of the business. Those working in chain drug stores can be promoted to supervisors or managers. If they do well, there are further promotional opportunities available which include executive positions.

Hospital pharmacists can be promoted to supervisors. Those working in the pharmaceutical industry can advance to other areas such as quality control, research, sales, and marketing. In the USA, job opportunities for this career are expected to grow quicker than many other occupations. Economists predict that by 2016, the job market will be very buoyant in this area.

What does a typical day hold for a pharmacist? He or she will advise doctors and other health professionals about new drugs, the selection of drugs, and side effects and possible interactions of drugs. He or she will also be required to answer many questions from patients about their drugs and other health issues.

The pharmacist is able to give advice on exercise, diet, and stress management. He or she can also help patients manage medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, how to stop smoking, and high blood pressure. Patients often need to hire equipment for home treatment - again, the pharmacist can give advice. At the end of the day, there will be forms to complete and lots of other paperwork. Those who own their own drug stores will also have to supervise staff and carry out managerial duties.

A retail pharmacist dispenses medications at a drug store or a grocery store. Although the benefits and salary are very good, the hours can be long and hard. This is due to the fact that most stores stay open for 24 hours every day of the week. Those planning to work in this environment must be prepared to work most weekends. Usually, retail pharmacies employ two full-time pharmacists who work on alternating shifts of 12 hours each.

A clinical pharmacist works as a member of a medical care team in a hospital. They often accompany a physician on their rounds to offer advice about medications and the recommended dosage for individual patients. There are also pharmacist jobs in homes for the aged where ongoing care is needed for elderly or infirm residents. A person working in this environment is often called a 'closed door' pharmacist because they have no interaction with patients. Another option is to work as freelancer which is great for people who want flexible hours.