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The modern-day alchemist is a pharmacist, unbeknownst to many. This career path has long been associated with science and chemistry, but the role of pharmacists today is much more than just preparing potions or drugs. If you have an interest in the science of medicine, and a desire to help people better manage their health, becoming a pharmacist could be the perfect career choice for you. In this article, we'll discuss what it takes to become a pharmacist, as well as the rewards that come along with the job. 1. ASSESS EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS Since a career as a pharmacist requires post-secondary education, the first step in becoming a qualified pharmacist is to assess the educational requirements. This includes researching what courses are necessary, at what level of education they must be taken, and which universities offer these courses. And, as pharmacists must be licensed before they can legally practice, prospective professionals should also research the regulations associated with becoming a pharmacist. 2. CHOOSE A PHARMACY SCHOOL When deciding which pharmacy school to attend, it is important to consider the school's curriculum, accreditation, and reputation. Researching schools that have strong faculty and offer internships is also an important consideration. Also, have in mind that whether you want to know how to become a pharmacy tech in California for instance, or anywhere else for that matter, you can find useful information on the internet. As a rule of thumb, as an aspiring pharmacist, you should aim to attend an accredited school that offers specialized courses in pharmacology, toxicology, biochemistry, and other related areas.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has urged its member - employed pharmacists and locum pharmacists to share their view on UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership report. The four government Chief Pharmacists have published their commission's proposal for how pharmacy leadership may develop in the UK. The association 'strongly' believes that just as it was the members of the profession that established their previous pharmacist professional leadership bodies, so it is for pharmacists to determine if they agree with these proposals and to decide what arrangements they want in future. "As an organisation that has exclusively in its membership the employed and locum pharmacists in the UK, the PDA wants to ensure that it can reflect the views of frontline pharmacists in any future discussions and decisions that could impact upon their careers. Pharmacists are encouraged to read the report, to consider its content and then ensure they respond to the forthcoming communication from the PDA." The commission report says that existing leadership bodies have "relatively low levels of membership" but does not provide details. It has also stated that it has received submissions to its consultation from many pharmacy organisations.

Choosing to participate in the medical field is a wonderful opportunity. But perhaps you'd rather branch off a little bit from the norm and pick a slightly different career. If that's what you're hoping to achieve, then becoming a pharmacist may just be the right choice for you. Here's what you need to know before becoming a pharmacist and how you can easily pay for your degree. WHAT DOES A PHARMACIST DO? Honestly, it's surprising to think how many people underestimate the pharmacy profession. Some genuinely think that they're just people who give you medicine over the counter. And while this is certainly one of their duties, a pharmacist is so much more than that. Believe it or not, pharmacists are trained medical professionals.

Boots UK will offer a staring salary of £42,000 per annum to newly qualified pharmacists joining the pharmacy chain. The company also revealed that "in addition, any existing pharmacists in the bargaining unit currently receiving less than £43k." The newly announced hike in the salary - following an agreement reached between the multiple and and the Pharmacist Defence Association - will be effective from 1 August 2022. "This enhanced offer for Newly Qualified Pharmacists and further investment in those in the early stages of their careers at Boots is a key part of our commitments to pharmacists," the company said. Boots and PDA Union also announced in a joint statement that they will conduct a further formal review of all pharmacists' pay in accordance with the collective agreement, effective from 1 November 2022.

To help transform care for patients, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is calling on the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to remove the two-year post qualification wait for pharmacists before they are allowed to start their independent prescriber training. RPS proposes that entry to training should be based on whether pharmacists can evidence the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to undertake the training, and not the length of time a pharmacist has been on the register. RPS president Claire Anderson said: "We've campaigned strongly for better use of pharmacist independent prescribers, who are becoming essential to multi professional teams in all health care settings. "We want to ensure pharmacy remains an attractive career and has parity with the other professions. Pharmacist prescribing is now moving from being a skill only associated with advanced specialist levels of practice to a more generalist scope, providing a workforce that's more flexible with a shared set of capabilities.

Maxine McCabe has made history as the first community pharmacist in the UK to be credentialed as a core advanced pharmacist by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in Scotland. Announcing McCabe's achieving, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) stated that this credential demonstrates her expertise across the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical, leadership and management, educating others and research. Maxine has worked in the community pharmacy sector since qualifying as a pharmacist in 2008, consistently showing a keen interest in developing the wider pharmacy team and enhancing clinical services for the local patient population. Throughout her career, she has managed various community pharmacies, including Boots and Parkhead Health Centre Pharmacy, where she played a crucial role in developing pharmacy practice and nurturing pharmacy support roles and trainee pharmacists. In 2023, Maxine took on a part-time role as a Senior Educator in the Prescribing & Clinical Skills teams at NHS Education for Scotland (NES). She continues to practice as a pharmacist, leading the Teach and Treat Training Hub at Burnside Pharmacy in Lanarkshire. McCabe expressed her excitement about the recognition, saying, "I am delighted to obtain my Advanced Practice credential and showcase that this is achievable in community pharmacy."

More than half of pharmacists working in England are considering changing their roles over the next 12-18 months because of work-related issues, a recent survey by The Pharmacists' Defence Association revealed. The survey which concluded on February 18, 2022 had more than 2,500 participants including employed and locum pharmacists from all four UK nations. In the survey, PDA asked respondents about their current roles and future career plans. The initial feedback showed that unsatisfactory pay and working environments, lack of professional fulfilment, and poor management were the key factors for pharmacy professionals to reconsider their current positions.

Thorrun Govind's journey in pharmacy is deeply influenced by her South Asian heritage, with a Punjabi mother and a Gujarati father shaping her professional path. She reflects on this influence: "I think my heritage has influenced my journey to become a pharmacist because there are a number of well-known and recognized figures in pharmacy who come from a South Asian background." "I think there's a tradition of hard work in my heritage. Additionally, many businesspeople in the community have also been a key influence. This entrepreneurial aspect has influenced my desire to pursue a career in pharmacy. It was always something I saw as part of my identity." Currently, Thorrun practices as both a pharmacist and a healthcare lawyer. She provides legal support to fellow pharmacists, including assistance with fitness to practice proceedings and business transactions. In June 2024, Thorrun joined Brabners' regulatory & professional conduct team, further expanding her role in the sector. Her journey, however, has not been without its challenges.

Superdrug has announced a pay increase for newly qualified pharmacists, in a move that will see wages rise to £50,000 - ensuring that Superdrug Pharmacists continue to receive the strongest renumeration package on the high street today. Superdrug is also enhancing its patient experience and operational structure, with the introduction of a new role of Pharmacy Team Leader to selected pharmacy stores. Pharmacy Team Leaders will be dispenser trained and provide a clear line of accountability for day-to-day dispensary activity including adhering to legal and clinical frameworks whilst supporting, coaching, and developing a high-performing pharmacy team. The role also allows Superdrug to offer a clear line of progression for talented Pharmacy Dispensers and Technicians who want to do more in their career and recognises the valuable contribution Pharmacy Dispensers & Technicians play in community pharmacy. In addition, the appointment of two new Heads of Pharmacy Operations sees the high street retailer driving and improving Superdrug's pharmacy performance to offer the best possible care for patients. Craig Watt, Pharmacist and previously Area Manager, has been appointed to Head of Pharmacy Operations North and will be responsible for the operation of Superdrug's central distribution hub serving its e-pharmacy and Online Dr team.

In a bid to amplify the role of pharmacists in clinical services and vaccination programs, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has embarked on a groundbreaking collaboration with Aston University. This initiative, funded by Innovate UK Business Connect, aims to explore the feasibility and impact of integrating additional healthcare interventions within community pharmacies. "The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) research project represents an exciting opportunity to advance the role of pharmacists in patient care," remarked Alison Jones, Director of Policy at PDA. "This project will be an important part of that evolution, supporting individual pharmacists to have more opportunities to practice and so develop more fulfilling careers." Led by the PDA and Aston University, the project will commence imminently, focusing on the Priory Community Pharmacy in Dudley.

"I hope one day there will be a network of Nepali Pharmacists who can share their experiences and provide support to each other," shares Sobha Sharma Kandel, Co-Founder, CEO, and Superintendent Pharmacist of Neem Tree Health. As a daughter of Nepali Immigrants who came to the UK in the early 70's, Sobha grew up witnessing first-hand the struggle her parents went through navigating the complexities of healthcare in this country. Today as a renowned pharmacist with a profound impact on her community, her contributions reflect her deep understanding of "the challenges and barriers that the South Asian community can face". Sobha's early experiences with frequent pharmacy visits due to tonsillitis also triggered a deep fascination with medicines and their impact on improving lives. "I visited pharmacies often to buy over the counter medication and to collect my prescription for antibiotics. This triggered my fascination with medicines. "I considered Pharmacy as a career in sixth form, after I had an interesting work experience in the Pharmacy department at Hammersmith Hospital," she recalls.

Three leading pharmacists - professor Mahendra Patel, Asif Aziz and Ade Williams - have been recognised in Queen Elizabeth's annual New Year's honours list. Professor Patel, an academic pharmacist from West Yorkshire, was awarded an OBE for his "services to pharmacy." He told Pharmacy Business: "I am truly honoured and deeply humbled by this highly prestigious award that I have always believed was more deserving for others. "That's not to say I'm not proud of it - far from it, although for me it's not necessarily about rewards and recognition but more the intricacies of the journey I embark on and the learning and joy that those encounters bring with it. Most recently, Professor Patel - who has had a broad ranging portfolio career spanning community pharmacy, health education and health promotion, academia, and research - has been involved in promoting clinical trials across community pharmacies in the UK. His latest work has seen him act as one of the national leads for the PRINCIPLE and PANORAMIC trials, run by Oxford University - both trials seek to pioneer repurposed and new drug treatments in the community to prevent hospitalisation due to Covid-19.

Those of us who work in community pharmacy know there is a workforce crisis created in large measure by PCNs actively recruiting pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from our sector. It is welcome, if long overdue, that this has now been officially acknowledged in a report commissioned by the English Health Secretary. PCN hiring 'exacerbates pharmacist shortage' says DH-commissioned report, which states such recruitment has "on occasion exacerbated the problem of a general shortage of pharmacists" which has compounded "the problem of community pharmacy closures." We have been telling the government this for years only to be told "problem? What problem?"- but now that Steve Barclay has his own official report sitting on his desk, he and NHSE cannot continue in denial mode. The facts are there for all to see. Time to act. No more dithering, delay or indifference. You asked if there was a problem and you have been told there is. In the absence of a holistic workforce strategy and cross-sector career pathways, PCNs poaching from community pharmacy is a zero sum game adding nothing to improving patient care.

Jonathan Burton will receive the 2022 RPS Charter Award for his outstanding work for the Society and the wider profession in promoting the interests of pharmacy. The award will be presented by the President at a future meeting of Fellows and Members to take place at the Society's Edinburgh office on 22nd March 2023. Jonathan's main role is as a practising, patient-facing pharmacist within the community in NHS Forth Valley where he uses his advanced practice skills and independent prescribing qualification to assess and treat acute ENT, dermatology, and respiratory conditions. He was one of the first community pharmacist prescribers in Scotland and has always been at the forefront of innovation and service development. Jonathan has demonstrated outstanding commitment and passion for the pharmacy profession throughout his career. He has excelled as a pharmacist in the Right Medicine Pharmacy group, on local and national committees, in advocacy for the pharmacy profession and as a local and national leader who is highly regarded as an exceptional role model for the profession.

Global consumer healthcare company Haleon has launched a new centre of excellence for a global leader in consumer health which will bring together world leading academics in human behaviour and frontline healthcare professionals including community pharmacists. Unveiled at the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Congress in 'sunny' Seville, Spain on September 20, the Centre will operate as a community of healthcare professionals and specialists in behavioural science, health psychology and the social sciences to solve some of the most pressing everyday health challenges. Named the Centre for Human Sciences (CHS) the initiative will be the first major programme for healthcare professionals since the Haleon's launch on July 18 as an independent, global leader in consumer health. The Centre's mission is to support practising health professionals - pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and dental professionals - in serving their patients and communities. Combining science with deep human understanding, CHS will bring expertise in physiology together with human sciences to deliver real world-solutions and tangible interventions, resulting in measurable improvements in health outcomes through sustained behavioural change. The Centre is facilitated by Robert Horne, professor of Behavioural Medicine at UCL School of Pharmacy, who started his career as a practising pharmacist but later chose to become a behavioural scientist when he saw an opportunity to address issues around psycho-social factors that acted as a hindrance in pharmacy practice. Speaking to me in an exclusive three-way conversation alongside Tess Player, the global head of healthcare professional & health influencer marketing at Haleon, on the sidelines of the FIP Congress 2022, Prof Horne expanded on what the Centre was all about and how it would work. "We've got some good ideas, but it's not a pre-filled prescription that we're going to deliver at scale from the start. What Haleon is t

Boots has welcomed job applications from LloydsPharmacy staff impacted by the news of closure of all its branches located in Sainsbury's before the end of 2023. The company is recruiting for more than 1,500 pharmacy roles nationwide. Vacancies span pharmacy roles at all levels - from Pharmacy Advisors (Dispensers) and Trainee Pharmacists to experienced Pharmacists looking to develop their careers. Sebastian James, Managing Director of Boots UK & ROI, said: "Pharmacies deliver vital healthcare in the heart of communities. News of the closure of LloydsPharmacy branches within Sainsbury's stores will no doubt have an impact on many talented pharmacists as well as their patients. "We have many roles available at Boots and welcome applications from LloydsPharmacy employees affected by the closures. Patients who are worried about their future pharmacy provision can check our store locator online to find out where their nearest Boots store is - our pharmacy team members are ready to help." There are over 2,200 Boots stores across the UK and 85% of the population live within 10 minutes of a Boots store.

Former superintendent pharmacist and National Pharmacy Association (NPA) director, Phil Galt, has been appointed the new UK managing director for pharmacy software supplier Cegedim Rx. The position was previously held by Adam Dennett, who resigned after a successful ten-year tenure to pursue a new career outside healthcare, the company said. Cegedim Rx, the pharmacy entity of Cegedim Healthcare Solutions UK, announced the new appointment this month (April 5). Tristan de Foucher, head of European operations for Cegedim Group, said: "Adam has been a force of nature in this business for the past 10 years. Under his leadership, the team has continuously and successfully invested in and driven product innovation to stay ahead of the ever-changing demands placed upon community pharmacy." Galt has over 20 years of experience as a qualified pharmacist and a successful business leader. He has worked extensively in community pharmacy, focusing on both care delivery and technology implementation.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support hosted a roundtable on the impact of pharmacy workforce wellbeing on patient safety on Wednesday (17 May). It also released its annual Workforce Wellbeing Survey which showed continued pressures on pharmacy teams. The discussion explored the actions needed to support staff so they can continue providing safe and effective patient care and included representatives from the NHS, professional bodies, employers, trade unions, education and regulators. A report of the roundtable will be published in the summer. Amandeep Doll, RPS Head of Professional Belonging, said: "We know that pharmacy teams go above and beyond for their patients, but are also under enormous pressure. "Now more than ever, we need to strive to make the pharmacy profession more inclusive and ensure that everyone's wellbeing is supported. "It is vital that we do all we can to encourage people into pharmacy and to support them so they can enhance their skills, develop their careers, and continue to deliver high-quality patient care. "This discussion was a welcome step and showed that making a difference for staff wellbeing requires a concerted effort from stakeholders across the whole of pharmacy.

Alitam has announced that it has merged with clinical skills training provider MHRx to upskill UK pharmacists so that its chain of community pharmacies in the UK can diagnose and treat minor medical ailments "quickly and safely". This is a second merger deal announced by the group that has 100-plus pharmacies, just days after its merger with Pharmadoctor to "radically transform the UK and Ireland's community pharmacy sector" into a truly preventative healthcare system. Following the merger with MHRx, Alitam will now be providing a career development platform for its pharmacy teams, which also include nurses and other healthcare professionals. MHRx's training incorporates every aspect of general practice alongside relevant topics including making appropriate patient consultation records in line with NHS guidelines. This, Alitam believes, will allow community pharmacies to carry out formal diagnoses, formulate differential diagnosis plans, and perform full clinical examinations. According to the founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo, mergers such as these will lead to "a healthcare revolution predicated on building the world's first truly preventative healthcare model".

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has secured a contract with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to deliver a suite of e-learning modules to help pharmacy professionals "become more research active". The new online resources - due to be launched next summer - are aimed at pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who may not have followed an academic career path or have had little or no experience of research delivery. The e-learning package will allow them to gain new skills so they feel more confident to engage with research and research opportunities. Nine modules are being developed covering how to transform ideas into a research project, find and evaluate evidence and choose the appropriate research methods whilst learning how to apply for research funding and deal with governance issues and publication.