Do you excel in the sciences? Are you interested in a career in the medical field? If you are, consider applying to pharmacy school. Pharmacy majors are trained to prepare and distribute medications prescribed by physicians. Pharmacists work closely with both doctors and patients in order to advise them about dosages, drug interactions and side effects.
Education
According to the College Board, pharmacy students need to at least six years of education after high school to work toward their Pharm.D. degree. High school classes like AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics and calculus will help you prepare for major. Typical college classes for pharmacy majors include organic chemistry, pharmacology and medicinal chemistry.
What to know before you apply
Since the pharmacy field is always changing, your education will never truly be over. You need to be prepared to complete Continuing Ed. classes throughout your career to ensure your license gets renewed and that you are keeping up with all the medical advances. You should also know whether your school will help you find a position after you graduate. There is currently a surplus of pharmacists, so getting a good job is definitely something you need to keep in mind.
Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacists earned an average of $112,160 in 2011. Other careers pharmacy majors are prepared for include chemists and pharmacy technicians. Chemists earned an average annual salary of $74,780 in 2011 and pharmacy techs earned $30,020.
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