I AM A FUTURE PHARMACIST

Theme 1

Pharmacy (from the Greek word φάρμακυ = drug) is a transitional field between health sciences and chemical sciences. Pharmacist is a professional charged with ensuring the safe use of medication. Traditionally, pharmacists (chemists) have compounded and dispensed medications by practical physicians’ orders. Recently, pharmacy became involved in patient care including clinical practice, medication review and information about new drugs launch. So, pharmacists are experts in medicines who can help their customers to make the right choice and provide them with necessary information.

Pharmacists must know the use, clinical effects, and compositions of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties. Compounding - the actual mixing of ingredients to make powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and solutions – is a small part of pharmacist’s practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and mass production form. Pharmacists are responsible for the accurate fulfillment of every prescription given.

Moreover, pharmacists are engaged not only in their traditional work but gradually some of them are being involved in research work for pharmaceutical manufacturers. They help develop new drugs and therapies, and test their effects on people. Other may work in marketing or sales, providing expertise of drugs use effectiveness and possible side effects. They may also cooperate with health insurance companies. Moreover, some pharmacists are employed as full time or part time college tutors teaching classes and performing research in a wide range of areas.

Pharmacists work in clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated premises. Many of them spend most of the workday standing on their feet. While working with sterile or dangerous pharmaceutical products, chemists wear gloves and masks and use other special protective equipment. Many municipal and hospital pharmacies are open day and night. Consultant pharmacists may visit hospitals, nursing homes and other medical institutions to monitor drug therapy and its effects.

The personnel of an average pharmacy consists of a manager; a dispensing chemist who takes prescriptions and delivers drugs; a chemist who controls the prescriptions, i.e. physical, physico-chemical and pharmacological compatibility of the ingredients of the compound prescribed by a physician; a chemist-analyst, who controls effectiveness of the drug.

There are pharmacists which are in charge of supplying customers with medicines. All of them are highly trained in all aspects of medicines and their professional code ensures that any information the customers share remains confidential. Any pharmacist can supply medicines for a range of problems and can advise the buyers about the best way of treating minor problems such as coughs and colds, sprains and bruises, skin problems and others. If you have questions about your medicine after you leave the doctor’s office, the pharmacist can answer many of them. For example, a pharmacist can tell you how and when to take your medicine, whether this drug may affect another medicine you are taking, and any side effects you might have. Also, the pharmacist can answer questions about over-the-counter medications.