Pharmacists
Pharmacists
Pharmacists (pronunciation: /ˈfɑːrməsɪst/) are healthcare professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use.
Etymology
The term "pharmacist" comes from the Greek word pharmakon, meaning "drug" or "medicine", and the suffix -ist, denoting a practitioner of a particular field.
Role and Responsibilities
Pharmacists are responsible for the preparation of the medications by reviewing and interpreting physician orders and detecting therapeutic incompatibilities. They also dispense medications by compounding, packaging, and labeling pharmaceuticals. Pharmacists provide information on drugs, including their composition, effects, and appropriate use, to patients, healthcare providers, and the public. They also monitor drug therapy regimens for contraindications, drug-drug interactions, drug-food interactions, allergies, and appropriateness of drug and dose.
Education and Training
Pharmacists typically require a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from an accredited pharmacy program. They must also be licensed, which requires passing two exams.
Related Terms
- Pharmacy: The science and technique of preparing, dispensing, and reviewing drugs and providing additional clinical services.
- Pharmaceuticals: Medicinal drugs.
- Pharmacology: The study of drug action.
- Pharmacotherapy: Therapy using pharmaceutical drugs.
- Pharmacognosy: The study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pharmacists
- Wikipedia's article - Pharmacists
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