Retail Pharmacists dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to the public, educate customers on health promotion, disease prevention and the proper use of medicines, and sell non-prescription medicines and related goods in a community pharmacy. They usually have a high level of contact with the public.
Retail pharmacy is a heavily customer-focused environment, in which building relationships with customers is a key prerequisite for the provision of appropriate and effective medical advice. Pharmacists therefore need to be able to welcome customers, serving and assisting them in a polite and friendly manner.
Registration or licensing is required.
Job duties
The duties of retail pharmacists include:
Receives prescriptions, checks patients' medicine histories, and ensures optimal dosage and methods of administration and drug compatibility before dispensing.
Prepares or supervises the preparation and labelling of liquid medicines, ointments, powders, tablets and other medications to fill prescriptions.
Advises patients on drug incompatibility and contra-indications.
Maintains prescription files and records issue of narcotics, poisons and habit-forming drugs.
Stores and preserves vaccines, serums and other drugs subject to deterioration.
Supplies non-prescription medicines, and diagnostic and therapeutic aids.
Supervises and co-ordinates the work of pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns and pharmacy sales assistants.
Employment Status
Most retail pharmacists work in community pharmacies or in retail trade, with some owning their own practice or partnership. Apart from that, they also work in health care and social assistance and other public administration department and industries.
TheEmployment Facts of retail pharmacist in Australia:
Future Growth: Moderate
Full-Time Share: 66%
Average full-time: 43
Weekly Pay: $1,862
Employment by state:
ACT: 1.6%
NSW: 30.3%
NT: 0.7%
QLD: 20.4%
SA: 7.9%
TAS: 2.4%
VIC: 25.8%
WA: 10.8%
Educational requirement
To become a retail pharmacist, you usually have to complete a degree in pharmacy at university.
Before undertaking clinical placements required by courses, students will need to obtain a National Police Certificate, a Provide First Aid Certificate and immunisations, and undergo a Working with Children Check. To practise as a pharmacist in Australia, it is necessary to be registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. Before applying for full registration, pharmacy graduates must successfully complete a set number of hours of supervised practice while undertaking an accredited intern training program and pass a written and oral examination conducted by the board. For full details, see the Pharmacy Board of Australia's website. Students, interns and graduates are eligible for membership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia.
Education level:
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 15.5%
Bachelor degree: 78%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 0.5%
Certificate III/IV: 0.8%
Year 12 and below: 5.2%
Related Courses:
Bachelor/Master Degree in Pharmacy
https://joboutlook.gov.au/occupations/pharmacists?occupationCode=2515
