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Pharmacy Major
Joining college is one of the most significant moments in a person’s life. People choose to go to college for many different reasons. Months before joining college, students with the support of others such as their family spend some time thinking about which majors they would like to pursue. Some of the factors that drive students to choose their majors include a passion for the subject, earning potential, past experiences, pressure from family among many others. Students have a wide variety of areas to choose from, depending on their preferences. These areas include physical and biological sciences, humanities, arts, engineering and others. With all these courses available, students are bound to feel confused as to what they should do. I would recommend pursuing a major in pharmacy because it has excellent earning potential, a wide range of career opportunities and it brings satisfaction in working with patients and helping them get better.
A bachelor’s degree in pharmacy takes four academic years or three calendar years. Students with a background in health studies can apply for the degree which is offered in many colleges. TSU is one of the best colleges in the country because it has state of the art facilities so that students can carry out the necessary experiments and other requirements for their major. After earning a bachelor’s degree, a pharmacist can then go on to the doctor of pharmacy degree. The course work for an undergraduate degree is quite intense; therefore, students must be committed to putting their best efforts into study. Before getting into the major, students must also look carefully at their areas of strengths and weaknesses. The course leans heavily towards subject areas such as biology and chemistry, and students must perform well to get admission into the course. To do this, students must prepare adequately in advance before making their application. Students must also consider their area of passion to help them decide whether to take up pharmacy as their college major.
The first reason why I would recommend a major in pharmacy is that it brings a deep sense of personal satisfaction and fulfilment. People who care deeply about others’ wellbeing and have the desire to help them will do the best in this field. Being a pharmacist means that one interacts directly with patients in the process of prescription and dispensation of medication. Sickness is a time of vulnerability for many and knowing that they can turn to you in their moment of trouble is a great feeling. Before making a prescription and dispensing it, pharmacists have to consider different factors such as the ability of the patient to adhere to medication. To enable them to do this, pharmacists have training in cultural competence so that they communicate with patients and analyze their ability to comply with medication requirements (DiPiro 6). Pharmacists have to take into account factors such as language barriers, illiteracy, lifestyle, diet, among others.
Pharmacists have a wide range of career opportunities to choose from. Most people think of pharmacists as working mainly in hospitals, but this is such a limited view. Pharmacists can perform a wide range of services for patients, meaning they are very flexible. Some examples of pharmacist services include administering vaccines, asthma care, diabetes management, cholesterol screening, anticoagulation management and others. For these reasons, pharmacists can work in different settings such as community, inpatient and ambulatory settings. In addition to this, pharmacists can also work in innovation and research. In the healthcare environment, pharmacists can be found in nursing homes, hospitals, colleges, managed care organizations and the federal government (Draugalis et al. 17). Roughly 45% of pharmacists in the United States work in retail chain and independent pharmacies, as well as giving counselling services for patients seeking over the counter medication. Pharmaceutical industries that make drugs also require the professional expertise of pharmacists.
Another reason why people should choose to pursue a career in pharmacy is they will earn a lot of money in their place of work. Pharmacists are an integral part of the healthcare team, and they are well compensated for the critical services they provide to the community. There is an ever-increasing demand for pharmacists in the country, meaning that they have to be offered attractive packages to take up a position. One of the reasons for the rise in demand is that pharmacists can now transition to a doctor in pharmacy degree after graduating, which expands the services that they can offer (American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy). With the higher levels of education and skill, pharmacists can take up positions in many more fields. The second reason for the increasing demand for pharmacists’ services is a rise in the number of prescriptions across the country. More people can now access medication for their illnesses, and research has allowed companies to make more effective medicines for different conditions. Statistics from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the country has seen a tremendous rise in the number of prescriptions, from 1.9 million in the year 1992 to 4.1 billion in 2015. The numbers are projected to be even higher in future, reaching 4.7 billion by 2021 (DiPiro 11). Because pharmacists are at the heart of prescriptions, they earn more money.
Despite the many advantages that a pharmacy career offers, there are several reasons that could be given against choosing a college major in the subject. The first reason is that college is generally an expensive undertaking, and some people may not be able to afford it. This is a valid argument, but millions of people have gone through college by working as they study. Students also have access to loans from the federal government to supplement their resources. The second argument against a pharmacy major is that the course work is quite challenging for many students, and some might end up dropping out due to the intensity of the workload. The best response to this argument is that nothing good comes easy. Sick people entrust their wellbeing to pharmacists who give them the right medication; thus they have to be rigorously trained. It only takes a small mistake for medication to cause adverse effects, and rigorous training ensures that pharmacists are well-versed in their area of expertise.
In conclusion, taking a major in pharmacy brings many advantages to a student. Some of these are job satisfaction, a sense of personal fulfilment, a wide range of career opportunities and high earning potential. People have a need to feel like they are doing relevant and meaningful works, and a career in pharmacy does just that. Pharmacists dispense medication to sick people so that they can get better, and nothing brings more satisfaction than knowing that only you can help in that situation. Arguments against taking up a major in pharmacy include expenses to be incurred, and the demanding nature of the course. However, these pale in comparison to the many advantages that students stand to benefit from after they graduate. High school students have to think long and hard before choosing their college major because a course like pharmacy requires a lot of dedication and commitment. After the rigorous training, pharmacy graduates will find that the whole process is worth it, especially if they are passionate about their work. A career in the field is among the best and most fulfilling ever.
Works Cited
“Top Ten Reasons to Become a Pharmacist” American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Retrieved from www.aacp.org/resource/top-ten-reasons-become-pharmacistDiPiro, Joseph T. “Preparing our students for the many opportunities in pharmacy.” American journal of pharmaceutical education 75.9 (2011).
Draugalis, JoLaine R., et al. “A career in academic pharmacy: opportunities, challenges, and rewards.” American journal of pharmaceutical education 70.1 (2006): 17.
