September 17, 2007

What This Job Pays: pharmacist

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Pay: The average pay of a pharmacist in the Seattle area is $46.16 an hour, with most making from $43.22 to $49.17 an hour, according to PayScale, a Seattle company that tracks compensation and benefits.

Demand: Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations in the coming years, because of increasing demand for pharmaceuticals, particularly from the growing elderly population.

Need to know: Pharmacists distribute drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. They advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions and side effects of medications. Pharmacists also monitor the health and progress of patients in response to drug therapy to ensure the safe and effective use of medication. Pharmacists must understand the use, clinical effects and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological and physical properties. Compounding – the actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments and solutions – is a small part of a pharmacist's practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. Most pharmacists work in a community setting, such as a retail drugstore, or in a health-care facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, mental-health institution or neighborhood health clinic.

PayScale, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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