Pharmacist

Pharmacists are health professionals who practice pharmacy. In their best known role, pharmacists typically take a request for medicines from a physician in the form of a medical prescription and dispense the medication to the patient. Pharmacists have many areas of expertise and are a critical source of medical knowledge in clinics, hospitals, and community pharmacies throughout the world.

Related Topics:
Health profession - Pharmacy - Medicine - Physician - Medical prescription - Patient

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Pharmacists are sometimes small-business owners, owning the pharmacy in which they practice. This unique dichotomy is often the subject of debate within the profession - in part due to the perception of pharmacists as "common shopkeepers" by many in the community. In actuality, while many pharmacists do "keep shop" they are also very skilled and specialized individuals with specifice knowledge that makes them a vital part of any healthcare team. They act as a learned intermediary between patients and physicians to ensure that proper medical therapy is chosen and implemented in the best way possible.

Related Topics:
Small-business - Dichotomy

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Pharmacists are sometimes referred to as chemists, which sometimes causes confusion with scientists in the field of chemistry. This term is a historical one, since pharmacists originally were required to complete an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PhC) and were known as "Pharmaceutical Chemists". While the term is widely used in Commonwealth nations, it is unknown in the United States where the term druggist is an alternative term for a pharmacist.

Related Topics:
Chemistry - Undergraduate - Commonwealth

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