Becoming a Pharmacist?

Question

My mum would like to become a pharmacist, but she doesn't know how to go about it, do you just apply for a post or take a college course or something?

Thanks for any help!

I live in Scotland, if this helps at all.

Answer 1

I don't know how it works in Scotland but in the USA you need to have a college degree to become a full fledged Pharmacist, first you would need to go to school as a Pre-Pharmacy major (or maybe Chemistry) and then go to Pharmacist school. I don't know if that is how it works in your country but I can't imagine it is much different.

I would go ask the local Pharmacist and see what she would need to do.

Answer 2

In the US you need to get a bachelors degree (hopefully just 4 years, maybe more) then apply to pharmacist school, which is another few years. Some schools accept as little as 2 years of college without a degree, but it is so competitive that you really need the degree to get in to most programs.

I think that pharmacy techs usually have associates degrees, which take two years but it may take more with competitive programs.

They may hire pharmacy aides off the street or with just a few classes, but the pay wouldn't be good and the work would be very simple.

The laws in Scotland may be different, but there is no way they would just hire someone off the street. If they did, I would seriously advise against taking any position since there is so much liability involved with being a pharmacist that without proper education you could kill someone.