Career of the Week: Pharmacist

Anyone who's hit a major job-seeking site and tried to find positions without entering a specific job title will know just how many vacancies there are out there for trained pharmacists. As this Vault article makes clear, it's a sector that's been hot for some time (not to mention a well-compensated one), and seems set to remain a safe employment haven for a long time to come.

All of the factors currently weighing on the healthcare debate come into play when considering the field: a growing, ageing population means that there will never be a shortage of people requiring the skill and knowledge a pharmacist can bring to the table, while the ever-changing array of drugs and treatment options out there mean that the field demands people who can keep on top of shifts within their industry. In many cases, a well-trained pharmacist can also serve as a first line of defense in the health-care field, recommending potential solutions—or generic alternatives to brand name medications—for people concerned about the rising cost of their own healthcare (or simply lacking insurance). As an added bonus, even if total health care reform is achieved some time in the next few months, with the Democratic dream ticket of a public option and 100 percent healthcare coverage achieved, pharmacists will still be in high demand; more people with coverage simply spells more people wandering through the doors to fill prescriptions, after all.

Of course, there are more options in the field of pharmacy than working at your local Walgreen's or Target. This Q&A gives valuable insights into the role of a clinical pharmacist—a position the respondent claims are the "premium jobs" within the field. For that reason, reviews of the position tend to be harder to come by. Not so the retail pharmacy positions that are advertized all over the place. Those wishing to get the inside scoop can find reviews of the like of Target, CVS/Caremark, Humana, and Novant right here on Vault.

--Posted by Phil Stott, Vault Staff Writer