What Are the Different Types of Pharmacist Qualifications?

Pharmacist qualifications involve accepting responsibility for peoples' lives and acting on that by being attentive to detail. A pharmacist needs to have years of secondary education and then to pass a number of examinations. Furthermore, a person aiming to be a pharmacist needs to be in good physical condition and to have customer service and communication skills. To secure higher pharmacist positions, a person needs business skills too.

Although it may be understated, one of the most important pharmacist qualifications is the ability to understand that such a job involves taking responsibility for peoples' lives. Once a person accepts this fact, she also needs to consciously accept that responsibility. In doing so, an individual must be able to work in a very conscientious and detailed manner. A job as a pharmacist is not one where a person can be prone to error or can make mistakes lightly.

Pharmacist qualifications include a significant amount of course work, much of which will require strong science and math skills. To become a pharmacist, a person generally needs to obtain some type of licensing. In most cases, this is not possible without secondary education, which will likely need to span at least four years. Furthermore, in addition to simply studying, licensing is often contingent upon a person successfully completing a number of examinations.

Customer service and communication skills are important pharmacist qualifications. This is job where an individual is serving people with a wide range of problems. In many cases, these problems are serious illnesses that can threaten people's lives or impose permanent changes on their lives. It is important for a pharmacist to understand that customers often have a wide range of questions and concerns that they may wish to address. As a pharmacy is a service provider for a broad segment of society, a pharmacist must learn how to interact with people who have varying education levels, emotional states, and socioeconomic circumstances.

A pharmacist also needs to be in good physical condition. This is not a desk job, and most individuals employed as pharmacists stand most of the time that they are at work. They also are generally required to move about a lot during their shifts, which commonly total or exceed 40 hours per week. While on duty, pharmacists engage in a substantial amount of physical activity, such as bending and reaching.

Pharmacist qualifications for higher-level positions commonly require management and business skills. If a person aims to become a manager, partner, or owner of a pharmacy, she will need to be able to take charge of a staff. She will also need to possess the knowledge and skills to operate the business, which can include marketing, analyzing costs, and concentrating on sales strategies.