Pharmacy Error and the Importance of Pharmacy School

Pharmacists have an incredibly important job. While it may appear that they simply read and fill prescriptions, they actually perform a number of duties that are very important for their patients' health. This is why they are required to undergo thorough training before beginning work.

Pharmacists learn a great deal of things in school and their schooling requirements are fairly intense. In the United States, individuals seeking to become pharmacists must complete a pre-pharmacy undergraduate program. To even get into pharmacy school, applicants must:

• A minimum of 60-90 semester credit hours

• 90-100 quarter credit hours of undergraduate coursework in basic and advanced sciences

• Have a high Pharmacy College Admission Test or PCAT score

After being admitted, pharmacy school involves:

• The completion of a four year pharmacy program

• Tough course in pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology and toxicology

• A full year of on site pharmacy experience

After graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy, potential pharmacists must still seek licensure by examination.

Drug Interactions/Complications

All of this education is required because a pharmacist must be aware of a number of things in order to keep patients safe. Pharmacists must be vigilant about what they are doing at all times in order to avoid making serious pharmacy errors which can easily end in serious injury or death to a patient including:

• Drug Side Effects-the pharmacist should supply the patient with a print out explaining possible side effects

• Incorrect Labeling

• Incorrect Dosage-something as small as a misplaced decimal point can result in over dose

• Incorrect Prescription

• Drug Interactions and Complications-if there are serious drug interactions, it is the pharmacists responsibility to warn the patient based on his or her drug history

Even years of pharmacy school can sometimes not be enough to keep certain pharmacists from making deadly errors.

To find out more about pharmacy error and the importance of pharmacy school, visit the website of Cincinnati pharmaceutical error attorney Shawn M. Stepleton today.