With people living longer and the rising use of prescription treatments as baby boomers start to reach their old age, the demand for qualified pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is higher than ever before. George Shea, director of pharmacy at Sequoia Hospital, said there is widespread demand for pharmacy graduates as the number of prescriptions has "skyrocketed" in recent years, Job Journal reports. Furthermore, the trend is set to continue as prescription drug use increases among the growing senior population, making the profession a "powerful prescription for long-term opportunity and career success", the site said. It noted that the most common employment opportunities for pharmacists are in hospitals, nursing facilities, medical centers and pharmaceutical firms. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are also employed in outpatient care units, health care insurance offices and county-level health departments. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), all 50 states, the District of Colombia and all other US territories require pharmacists to be licensed. In order to obtain this license, graduates must obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and pass the relevant examinations. In 2006, there were 243,000 pharmacists in the US. Their median average earnings in May of that year were $94,520.  |