Before you can work as a pharmacist, you need to complete:
- a four-year Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree
Your degree and training must be approved by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), the professional body for pharmacists. To be accepted for a degree course, you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C) including maths and English, plus three A levels, usually chemistry and two other science-based subjects .Course providers will be able to advise their exact entry criteria as alternative qualifications may also be accepted.
- a one-year pre-registration training course and a registration exam.
Once you have finished your degree, you can apply for the one-year pre-registration programme. This includes spending at least six months in a community or hospital pharmacy and leads to a final registration exam.
Upon completion of training you can apply for state registration and membership of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. The RPSGB is the professional and regulatory body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. To be able to legally practice as a pharmacist in the UK you must to be registered with them.
As a pharmacist, you provide expert advice on the use, supply, preparation and effects of drugs and medicines. On a day-to-day basis, this could include checking prescriptions and making sure the laws controlling medicines are followed.
Typically you would be based in a community or hospital pharmacy , but there are other career routes available, you could choose to work as a primary care pharmacist giving prescribing advice to GPs, or follow a path working in education or industry, carrying out research into new medicines and running clinical trials. To consider research work a postgraduate qualification in, for example, toxicology or pharmacology and graduated your degree course with top grade honours.
As a community pharmacist, based in a retail environment, your work could include:
- providing healthcare advice to the general public and treating minor ailments
- delivering medication to clients who are house-bound
- visiting care homes to advise on the use and storage of medication
- preparing medicines bought over-the-counter
- giving advice on the correct use of medicines, e.g dosage and any hazards
- selling a range of products
- ordering and controlling stock
- running or helping to run a business, including supervising and training staff.
In a hospital setting, your duties could include:
- giving advice on the dosage and most appropriate form of medicine (for example, a tablet, inhaler or injection)
- manufacturing medicines (for example, creating a treatment or solution when there are no ready-made preparations available)
- visiting wards, giving clinical advice to colleagues and supplying them with current information on drugs
- purchasing, quality testing and distributing medicines throughout the hospital
- supervising pre-registration trainees and junior pharmacists.
As a qualified pharmacist you need to continue your professional development throughout your career. The RPSGB provides of a range of courses and workshops that can help you keep your skills and knowledge up to date.
Before an applicant can be registered with the RPSGB, he must satisfy the Registrar that he has the appropriate qualifications, training and experience required for registration, and that his fitness to practice is not impaired. This includes a requirement that the applicant is in good health and of good character.
For overseas applicants there are various routes to be able to register detailed on the RPSGB web pages. For up to date information please click this link. Realise your career potential. Spread your wings. |
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