Information You Need About The Demand For Qualified Pharmacists

You walk into the store and make your way to the pharmacy section, medical prescription in hand. You hand it to the pharmacist and only wait for a few moments for your prescription to be filled. With medication in hand, you walk out to continue on with your day, grateful it took so little time to get what you needed and that your store doesn't have a demand for pharmacists.

This scenario isn't the same everywhere. The demand for qualified healthcare professionals is growing the longer Americans live. Pharmacist demand is growing in places, such as institutions and combined health care systems that operate both community practices and institutional facilities, according to Pharmacy Manpower Project's Aggregate Demand Index. With the increased use of prescription medication and more aging Americans seeking advice from knowledgeable pharmacists, medical facilities are searching for ways to fill the job openings.

States Needing Pharmacists

If you are a college student looking for a pharmacy education, now is the best time to earn a pharmacist degree. There are numerous states in need for pharmacists in varying facility locations. New Mexico and Missouri are two states with the highest pharmacy graduate demand. The 10 states that have the most demand with open job positions for pharmacists include:

• New Mexico • Missouri • Arkansas • Texas • Kansas • North Carolina • West Virginia • Washington • Louisiana • New York

Educational Requirement

More colleges and universities are opening to provide students with a pharmacy education. Some schools offer a Pharm. D. degree to those students wanting to answer the pharmacy graduate demand.

For eligible students interested in the program, they must complete 2 years of study in a specific professional courses — such as chemistry, biology, life sciences or mathematics — before being admitted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor states. Some graduates will seek a fellowship program or residency for a year or two when they complete the 4-year program.

Salary Opportunity

College students can be in a unique position in the job market when they successfully complete the pharmacy program and acquire a degree. Retail stores and pharmacy clinics are placing large bids for competent workers to fill in the pharmacist demand gaps.

Starting salaries can range between $100,000 up to $130,000 annually, with incentive signing and referral bonuses ranging from $20,000 to $30,000, according to Caina Calvin at McClatchy Newspapers. Medical facilities are enticing students, even those just earning their pharmacy degree to make cross-county moves to fill available positions.

Demand Continues

As communities grow in population, medical facilities and retail stores will continue to answer the demand for pharmacists by offering competitive salaries to eager graduates. Students who are unsure of which professional career to choose should consider whether or not the pharmacist field would be right for them.

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