This post will enlighten the difference between pharmacists and doctors, despite being in the same field – from education, credentials, job responsibilities, work setting, etc.
Even with the medical field having extensive roles and specializations, particularly pharmacists and doctors, they still have a common goal which is to ensure the health of everyone. If you want to pursue a career in either field, it’s good to know how they differ despite having distinct characteristics. Use this as a guidepost as you tread through the right career path for you.
Pharmacists Vs. Doctors: What’s The Difference?
You commonly see pharmacists behind the counter of a drugstore and other retail workplaces where they have to analyze and fill prescription medicines and attend to customers. Many may not be aware, but pharmacists also work alongside healthcare professionals in hospitals as part of a medical team. They are responsible for providing a single type of healthcare service, while doctors diagnose and administer medical treatment to patients. The doctors also write the prescriptions while pharmacists fill them in for procurement.
Another difference between the two professions is that doctors work directly with patients long-term. Pharmacists, however, spend most of their time in the lab. Depending on where they work, they work far from patients and mostly near customers. Although they don’t get to treat patients themselves, pharmacists can advise and educate patients and customers regarding over-the-counter and prescription medicine.
The Difference Of Their Education And Training
Both doctors and pharmacists vary in educational attainment and skills training to become full-fledged professionals. Pharmacists must finish an undergraduate degree before completing the Doctor of Pharmacy or PharmD. In the US, the undergraduate degree for pharmacists lasts for around two years, while their graduate studies go on for four years. Finishing a residency can be an option for pharmacists, unlike doctors, where that is mandatory for their further training and experience. And if pharmacists can choose to pursue residency, especially if they are planning on specializing in an area of Pharmacy. Depending on the specialization, a pharmacist’s residency may take around five to eight years.
How They Earn Their Credentials
The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) is required to earn one’s license as a pharmacist. Alternatively, it may also depend on your state, which may have different regulations and requirements than the NAPLEX. Doctors, however, have several licensure exams to go through to meet general practice standards. Medical students often take the first two parts of the United States Medical Licensing Examination during their schooling and obtain another licensure after the third part during their residency. Physicians typically receive certifications in their chosen specialty while attaining state licensure to practice in their chosen field of study.
The Varying Work Environment
Doctors and pharmacists may work in hospitals, though only the latter can work in retail. Pharmacists have many job opportunities to work in retail drug stores and pharmaceutical companies, where they study further to create new and advanced medications that doctors can prescribe. However, doctors primarily work in clinics, operating rooms, and other medical facilities in the hospital. Schedules for both professions are also different. Pharmacists in retail drugstores follow the usual 9 to 5 business hours, whereas doctors work long hours and often extend due to unpredictable situations and medical emergencies.
Pharmacists can also work within a team in small settings, along with pharmacy assistants and technicians. The same goes for doctors, whose team consists of nurses, residents, fellows, medical technicians, and other specialists.
Skillset
Pharmacists can gain further knowledge and skill to improve the effects of medications on the body. They primarily study chemistry, its sub-branches, and human anatomy and physiology. That said, pharmacists are often undermined in the medical field because of the stereotypes surrounding their job. Liberate Pharmacy presents Dr. Patrick Ojo’s book, “Pharmacy In Bondage,” to help liberate the profession and describe in detail the struggles pharmacists go through under a system that doesn’t shed light on the burdensome side of their job. And regardless of the healthcare profession, you choose later in life, the importance of caring for everyone’s health rests in your hands.
To Sam It All Up 