Annotated Bibliography

Chinyere Evulukwu

Period two

Ap English III

November 15, 2008

Annotated Bibliography

Erickson, K. (2006, February 20). Pharmacy Technician - A Closer Look. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Pharmacy- Technician- - - A- Closer- Look&id=148868.

This article is basically about the job and duties of a pharmacy technician, and a pharmacy assistant. A pharmacy technician and assistant’s role has changed over time. One of the reasons is because they get paid much less than a certified pharmacist. Another important reason is that it simply makes sense. Pharmacy technicians and assistants are trained to handle routine work, which frees up the pharmacists to focus more of their time on supervisory duties, as well as patient care. This article is an informative article explaining the job of a Pharmacy Technician and Assistant. The author states that a Pharmacy Technician has to or must have their prescriptions checked by a certified pharmacist, and they must also direct all patient questions regarding drug information, health matters or prescriptions to the pharmacist. One of the things Pharmacy Technicians must do is that they must follow specific procedures when filling prescriptions. After receiving a prescription, they must verify that the prescription information is accurate and then count, pour, retrieve, weigh, measure and if necessary, mix the required medication for the prescription. The next thing they must do is to prepare and affix the labels to the proper container. After that, the technician will then price it and file it. One other thing they must make sure they do is to prepare patient insurance forms and establish and maintain patient profiles. The author also mentions some of the jobs and duties of a Pharmacy assistant. A pharmacy assistant’s duties are similar to the duties of a pharmacy technician. The only difference is that the number of available positions for an assistant is generally less than technicians. The author also states facts about the daily life of a pharmacy technician and a pharmacy assistant. Both of them work in clean well organized areas, but they are required to spend most of their work day on foot. Also, because more and more pharmacies are open twenty four hours a day, technicians and assistants are often required to work odd hours. Therefore, there are many opportunities in that field area. To conclude this article is just explaining the different duties of a Pharmacy Tech and a Pharmacy assistant.

Calahan, K. (2008, August 26). So You Want to Be a Pharmacist. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?So- You- Want- to- Be- a- Pharmacist&id=1445205.

The name of this article is “So you want to be a Pharmacist”. It basically explains what a young aspiring student like has to do to become a pharmacist. To begin with, she states a very important fact. She states that Pharmacist make about 90, 000 per year. The first three things you a student must have on their mind if they want to be a Pharmacist is that they should, Plan on six years of college, and on the job training, know that they will also need an additional 30 units of continuing education classes before you have to renew their license every two years, and finally they must love and be skilled in math and science. Also the author states the benefits of the job which are:

1. Most states recognize your license from state to state. Therefore, if you get licensed in one state, you can pretty much live and work anywhere.
2. The pay is good and the industry is stable and growing.
3. You do not have to prescribe drugs for the patient, and the worry of malpractice that goes with it. Instead, you only need to dispense exactly what the medical practitioner has prescribed.

The author continues on to state classes you have to take in order to become a pharmacist. She states that you’ll have to take anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, statistics and pharmacology. She also recommends that you take a science class every year in high school which includes chemistry, physics, and e.t.c. Also she states that to be a fully licensed pharmacist in the United States, you need a doctor of pharmacy, or Pharm.D degree. After college, entrance to pharmacy school isn’t easy. You’ll have to work hard as an undergraduate student, and get your grades according to whatever pharmacy school you plan on going to requires. After graduation, about 60% of graduates will go straight into jobs at community pharmacies, while others will find work at hospitals, clinics, mail-order pharmacies and the federal government.

Charleston, J. (2008, September 23). Pharmacist School Prepares You For a Lucrative Career. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Pharmacist- School- Prepares- You- For- a- Lucrative- Career&id=1522332.

In this article, the author tells you what pharmacy school will help you to do. As always, the author states that being a pharmacist is a rewarding career, and that it provides secure employment after schooling. This is also an informative article. The author, which is a woman states that your schooling will help you prepare for a variety of work, and that your extensive knowledge will be valued by the community. In all, pharmacist will be able to fill prescriptions and advise patients on medicine usage. She also mentions that your knowledge of medicines must be kept up to date, which means that you might have to be doing some researching daily as a pharmacist. To go into details, she states what pharmacy school will help you to do.

1.} Dispense drugs that are prescribed by doctors and specialists
2.} Provide advice to patients on managing asthma, diabetes, arthritis and other ongoing illnesses
3.} Provide customer service to the general public in a retail environment.

4.} Stay on top of new drug releases

5.} Advise doctors on the dosage, selection and interactions of new and existing drugs.

Some pharmacists can also train to become managers or store owners. Some pharmacists choose to start their own pharmacies. In order to do that, you must also minor in business. She also states some of the places pharmacists work. They work at hospitals, pharmacy stores, Pharmaceutical manufacturers and labs, health insurance companies, government agencies, and universities and colleges as researchers or teachers. Your place of work highly depends on what you prefer to do each day. If you like interacting with the public then a pharmacy store is the best option for you. If you like a background role, then working for a pharmaceutical company in research and government is the ideal position for you. Pharmacists work for forty hours per week, and makes about 100,000 per year, Once you complete pharmacy school, you are qualified to work in any position that requires a pharmacist but you are most likely to start with dispensing prescriptions in a chemist store.

Thai, C. (2007, September 12). How To Become A Pharmacist. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Become-A-Pharmacist&id=727229

This article is basically also telling you how to become a pharmacist. There aren’t any major arguments in this article. Charlie Thai starts out to mention some of the advantages of becoming a pharmacist which includes:

1) Starting salary can be anywhere from $75,000 to $150,000 depending on location and need

2) A pharmacist's work schedules are flexible. You can work 7 on and 7 off, work during the evenings or work the usual 9-5 job

3) You will come out with less debt compared to other health professional schools.

4) You can become a fully-fledge licensed pharmacist in your early 20s and do not have to complete a residency

5) You won't have to deal with blood

In becoming a pharmacist, he states that you have to do two years of pre requisite coursework with high grades, and then proceed to pharmacy school, in which they’ll spend three to four years of pharmacy school work. He recommends taking a look at some zero to six year programs. After applying, an interview might be required at some schools. When done with pharmacy school, a student can do one year of residency, pr just go out and practice pharmacy immediately. HE also mentions some pharmacy schools you can go to like: Albany College of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Florida A & M University, Hampton University Massachusetts - Boston, Northeastern University, Ohio Northern University, Philadelphia, Rutgers University, St. John's University, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, University of Findlay, University of Missouri at Kansas City, University of Rhode Island, University of Texas at Austin, University of the Pacific and University of Pittsburgh. He also mentions a PCAT test you have to take, which is the Pharmacy College Admissions Test which is one of the pharmacy school requirements. After eventually graduating from Pharmacy School, you are now a fully fledged pharmacist. After becoming licensed, by taking the required test for the state the you are interested in practicing in, you can begin your work as a pharmacist. Finally he mentions another important fact, which is that your license must be renewed every two years

Drosy, E. (2006, November 6). How To Become A Pharmacist. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Become-A-Pharmacist&id=349054.

This article also tells you the things you need to become a pharmacist. This article goes on to comment the job of a pharmacist because of it’s good pay and its great job opportunity. He states different steps you’ll take in order to become a pharmacist. First you’ll need to have taken a lot of science/math classes. Also, you should study or should have studied life sciences, health and mathematics at high school. It will also be good to take a college level course in pre- pharmacy. By taking this class, you’ll have the knowledge required to pass the upcoming exams you have to take to get into pharmacy school. The next step described by him is to take a regular course in pharmacy form one of the many colleges in the US. A B.S. degree in pharmacy takes a total of five years and a Doctor of Pharmacy would take upwards of six years. This includes the time spent in the pre-pharmacy course work. The final things you’ll have to do are to get certified, and to undergo internship. Once you have your degree you need to get certified by a state authority. For this, you will need to pass your state's licensing examination. It does not matter which state you get licensed from, as most states recognize the licenses granted by other states. Almost all the states require licensing as a pre-requisite to practice pharmacy. Finally, you next have to undergo internship under a licensed pharmacist. After you complete your internship, you are qualified to practice as a pharmacist. He also mentions that if you become a pharmacist, your education never really ends. You may need to attend fresher courses so you can be up to date with books and journals.

Wafula, C. (2007, April 13). So You Want To Be A Pharmacist... First Step- PASS THE PCAT. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?So-You-Want-To-Be-A-Pharmacist...-First-Step--PASS-THE-PCAT&id=526135.

This article tell you how to pass the PCAT which is the Pharmacy College Admission Test and what it is. The PCAT is a standardized test that prospective pharmacists are required to take before entering Pharmacy College. The PCAT is given just three times a year at various colleges across the United States. The test includes five different categories including Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability, Biology, Chemistry and Reading Comprehension. Also he gives different examples of the different types of PCAT questions you will likely see during the test.

Verbal Ability – This section measures the prospective pharmacist’s general, non-scientific word knowledge. It tests these things using analogies and antonyms (opposites). Time for this section: 35 minutes to answer 58 questions.

Quantitative Ability – This is a fancy way of saying the student will be tested on math, including: fractions, percentages, decimals, algebra, pre-calculus, geometry and probability and statistics. Time for this section: 50 minutes to answer 58 questions.

PCAT Biology – The student will be tested on general biology concepts including: general biology, microbiology and anatomy and physiology. Time for this section: 35 minutes to answer 58 questions.

PCAT Chemistry – the PCAT organic chemistry section tests the student on both general chemistry and organic chemistry. Time for this section: 35 minutes to answer 58 questions.

Reading Comprehension – Measures the student’s ability to interpret and understand relevant reading passages and scientific concepts. Time for this section: 50 minutes to answer 45 questions. Lastly, the author also mentions an essay questions in which the Pharmacist is given thirty minutes to complete.

Zhang, L. (2008, October 10). Pharmacy Technician Continuing Education. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Pharmacy-Technician-Continuing-Education&id=1572133In

In this article, the author is basically talking about a pharmacy technician’s continuing education. To conclude, he states that it shouldn’t be a problem for pharmacy technicians to find courses to take while in college.

Chung, C. (2007, December 7). How To Become A Pharmacist. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Become-A-Pharmacist&id=870755

In this article, the author says that there is great potential for young adults going into the pharmacy industry and opportunities to excel to their greatest amount. If you have decided to become a pharmacist early like in high school, it is important that you take as many math and science courses possible. Classes like life science, health and various math classes can be extremely beneficial to the pharmacy industry. In this article, he suggests that you look into a pre-pharmacy college level course once you get into college. He also mentions several choices that you can follow in becoming a pharmacist. The first on is that you could go to a University and take general courses for the first couple of years, including science and pre-pharmacy courses. These courses will prepare you for the admissions tests you will have to take to get into a pharmacy college. After taking some of the basic courses, you will try to get a B.S degree in Pharmacy. You can get a degree in about five years or a Doctor’s degree in about six years. Part of the five or six years of school should include time spent in pre-pharmacy course work. When you have completed school and have received your degree, the next step is to get certified by the state you want to practice in. In order to get certified, you will need to pass the state's licensing examination. You will find that most states recognize the license from other states. Therefore, you can get licensed in one state and still practice in another state if you move. On top of that, you’ll also have to take an internship under a licensed pharmacist to get the real world experience you simply cannot get in a classroom setting. The internship can be the best experience you receive throughout the process. Once you are done with your internship, you will be ready to start practicing as a pharmacist.

Hunter, C. (2006, November 25). Attending a Pharmacy School Online. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Attending-a-Pharmacy-School-Online&id=368696

This article tells you how you can apply for pharmacy school online and how you pick the school you want to apply to online. Attending a pharmacy school online is the preferred method of many people because they have to pay the bills, feed their children, and simply continue to attend to their responsibilities. When they do the schooling online, it will allow them to tend fully to their responsibility while schooling online. There are a lot of pharmacy schools online for you to choose from, but you may want to look at each and everyone of them before you make your decision. Also the author mentions that an online pharmacy school that is accredited can give you a real diploma or certificate that will mean something to the rest of the world. If you work with a school that is not well accredited then you will end up with a piece of paper that means nothing and cost a lot of money. Another you should like to consider is how rigid each online pharmacy school program is. Some allow you to get online and do your work whenever it is convenient for you while others require you to get online at specific times. If your schedule does not allow for you to go to school you will want a more flexible pharmacy program. Only you can choose which is best for you, but it is important that you check these things out before hand rather than find them out after you have registered with the online school. Many people that do pharmacy school online says it’s much easier because you can do it with the comfort of a home. You can even choose to do the work when you feel like doing it. But it is very important that you know that it can be more comfortable, but it is not that easy. Pharmacy school is very complicated and many of the lessons and such are very involved and a lot of studying and hard work is required and this is true of online and traditional courses. No matter how you do it, you’ll still experience some type of difficulty.

Knutson, S. (2006, May 9). Pharmacist Career - An Inside Look. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Pharmacist-Career-An-Inside-Look&id=194047.

This author is specifically different from the rest of the other authors. He states that it is an easy career to get on track and is also a great career opportunity. But most of the things he says are things already stated by previous authors. First he talks about finding a school that offers pharmacy courses. Courses like biology, Anatomy, e.t.c. Next he goes on to describe the many duties of a pharmacist. Pharmacists dispense drugs that that physicians prescribe to patients, they educate consumers about medications, and they can also advise a physician as to drug interactions and effects. They also maintain medical records and medications in order to be certain a patient is not mixing drugs that are not suitable to mix. Pharmacists can also own their own pharmacy store. He also states that the training you will need in order to be considered a pharmacist begins with your graduation as a Doctor of Pharmacy or Pharm.D from any accredited higher learning institution. You will also need to serve a predetermined amount of time under a licensed pharmacist in order to be considered a pharmacist yourself. Most of the things he states have been previously stated by previous authors on their articles,