Tennessee Career Guide | 2026 95 Roles and Responsibilities of Pharmacists A day in the life of a pharmacist looks vastly different, depending on work setting, but most perform the following activities: n Patient Care: Pharmacists spend a large portion of their day caring for patients to ensure that they are getting the best possi- ble treatment for their conditions. n Medication Education: Pharmacists pro- vide medication-related information to pa- tients, healthcare providers, and the public. n Administration: Pharmacists have ad- ministrative responsibilities such as inven- tory, personnel management, patient charting, and reporting. The Path to Pharmacy Becoming a pharmacist requires obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and passing two licensure exams: (1) the North Amer- ican Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and (2) the Multistate Jurispru- dence Examination (MPJE). Undergraduate pre-requisites for Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs include core coursework in English and social sci- ences but have an emphasis on math and science, often requiring courses such as pre-calculus, calculus, statistics, human anatomy and physiology, physics, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. Under- graduate coursework can typically be com- pleted in two-to-four years. The PharmD degree is traditionally a four-year graduate degree, although some programs offer three-year accelerated op- tions with year-round coursework. All Doctor of Pharmacy programs require both classroom-based learning and hands- on learning through clinical rotations with pharmacists on-the-job. Pharmacy pro- grams are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Challenges to the Profession of Pharmacy Like many healthcare careers, pharmacy can be demanding. At any given moment, a pharmacist may have a patient at the register needing counseling for a new med- ication, a caregiver in the drive-thru with a question, and a doctor on the phone ask- ing about a drug interaction. Many phar- macies are working to leverage technology and systems to help free pharmacists from needing to be a part of the medication dispensing process, so that they can spend more of their time providing their clinical and educational services to patients and providers, who need them the most. Benefits to the Profession of Pharmacy Pharmacy is both personally and profes- sionally fulfilling. Pharmacists earn strong salaries, and the work is geared toward helping others obtain their best possible health. Pharmacists can complete extra training to specialize in cardiology, emer- gency medicine, critical care, geriatrics, ambulatory care, industry, policy, and many other fields. The variety of pathways within the profession allows pharmacists to find the career that best suits their strengths and interests, making work more of a joy than a job. The Future of Pharmacy It’s an exciting time to enter the field of pharmacy. Because pharmacists are easily accessible to communities across the United States, their ability to provide services be- yond filling prescriptions for patients is ex- panding. Pharmacists can give vaccina- tions, prescribe some medications that support public health, test for some infec- tious diseases and prescribe antibiotics, and provide consultation to healthcare providers. Systems for being able to bill for these serv- ices are being built and enhanced, allowing for new revenue opportunities for pharma- cies apart from medication costs. Where to Find More Information: To learn more about careers in medical imaging, visit: • pharmacyforme.org/why-pharmacy • www.pharmacist.com/ Tennessee’s Top Careers Union University is a private, Christian liberal arts-based university located in Jackson, Tennessee, providing Christ- centered education that promotes ex- cellence and character development in service to Church and society. Union Uni- versity’s College of Pharmacy (UUCOP) has offered the Doctor of Pharmacy de- gree for qualified students since 2008. The vision of UUCOP is to develop com- passionate pharmacists of distinctive character committed to exceptional pa- tient care, service, and lifelong learning. The quality of the program is demon- strated by a history of success in gradu- ating students with high job placement, residency placement, and board exami- nation pass rates. To learn more about UUCOP visit: uu.edu/pharmacy. The information on this career is submitted and sponsored by
