This article is written by John Quan a pharmacist in San Jose, CA.
Students looking to go into pharmacy school might get a nice surprise when they find out how much it costs. Pharmacy school is much lengthier than most traditional degrees. The average degree in pharmacy could cost more than $100,000. What is worse is that most people don’t tell you that when you eventually get a job you are basically working in retail. This means holidays, nights and everything that goes along with a retail position.
Here are some of the hidden fees outside of tuition most people don’t think about:
- Lab Fee $300
- Technology Fee $300
- Graduation Fee $250
- Late Tuition Payment Fee $50 per week
- Breakage Fee Cost of Replacement
- Student ID Replacement Fee $25
- Transcript Fee $5
- Student Government $50
- Student Disability Insurance $413 (variable/age dependent)
- Student Health Insurance $3,000
As you can see the fees can really add up. All this for a job in which you may eventually only make slightly $100K per year. There are some alternatives careers in which you can make nearly as much with half the schooling and student loans.
What You Will Learn
Pharmacy school may seem like brain overload with the amount of information that has to be retained. What is beneficial about attending school is that you always have a guide available or a way to look up uncommon medications. Pharmacists should know, right off hand, which drugs would cause an interaction with a patient based upon other drugs taken, and based upon their health profile.
Basic Medical Terminology
Basic medical terminology is important to learn as a pharmacist. It will help you to associate prescribed medications with specific ailments. There are hundreds of drugs that can be used for multiple illnesses. An example of this would be the narcotic medication, known as Vicodin, being used for both pain relief and cough suppression. It is important to know general medical terminology to assist patients with medication questions.
Drug Categories
Understanding what drugs fall under what category, whether they are narcotic or non-narcotic, is crucial. Some drugs have a parent categorization but fit into several sub-categories for use with a variety of ailments. Drug categories help a pharmacist to understand why the drug is prescribed and how it could interact with other medications taken.
Drug/Condition Interactions
Drug interactions, allergies and other interactions can be deadly. It is vital that a pharmacist check a patient’s medication list each and every time a prescription is filled. Patients need to be notified of any potential risks.
Safe Dosage Amounts
Some physicians tend to prescribe high dosages of medication. When a dosage amount appears to be too much, a pharmacist can make a phone call to try to get it to a safer level for the patient. This can be a life or death situation for some patients.
How to use a Pill Counter
Pill counters save time. Counting by hand can lead to mistakes by either shorting a prescription or giving too much. Some counters also go by weight, so it is important to use the counter twice to ensure that the amount is correct. All the automated pill counting machines I learned on where from Fulcrum Inc., which own the Torbal brand as well.
Reading Prescriptions
As a pharmacist you have to be able to read handwritten and printed prescriptions. Standard medical shorthand is used for handwritten items. You have to be able to decipher poor handwriting skills or take the initiative to call the prescribing physician.
In pharmacy school, you learn these basic elements but you also learn the names and makeups of thousands of drugs. This is one of the most important careers to work in. The risks and responsibilities of pharmacists are rather hefty.