However, this post seeks to state for the purpose of clarity, the differences between doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree and PhD in Pharmacy. Stay with me as I walk you through. According to Wikipedia, Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, and reviewing drugs, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of drugs. It is a diverse science as it links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences. The professional practice is becoming more clinically oriented as most of the drugs are now manufactured by pharmaceutical industries. Pharmacists provide direct patient care in the community of institutional pharmacies. The table of content below will give you a quick view of what this post is all about.
What is PharmD?
A Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) is a professional doctorate degree needed to become a pharmacist. Furthermore, the Doctor of Pharmacy is essentially obtained by students who intend to be a pharmacist whether it be in a community pharmacy or in a large healthcare facility. To practice pharmacy in the U.S., you must earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an accredited pharmacy institution and pass a state pharmacy licensure exam. U.S. pharmacy institutions are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
How Long Does it Take To Complete a PharmD Program?
The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program requires at least two years of specific undergrad college study followed by four academic years (or three calendar years) of professional pharmacy study. Typically, students interested in becoming a pharmacist take two years of undergraduate prerequisite courses then apply to pharmacy school. Keep in mind though that most pharmacy schools demand a bachelor’s degree to ensure applicants are suitably prepared for the rigor of a PharmD program. Be sure to check the specifications for each school you plan to apply to. In a nutshell, a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)program lasts for four amazing years.
What Are The Courses To Expect in A PharmD Program?
A pharmacy student enrolled in a PharmD program will study a variety of coursework such as pathology, biostatistics, immunology, drug interactions, physiology, anatomy, medical chemistry, biopharmaceutics, diagnosis of diseases, healthcare systems, therapeutics, pharmacy law and management, as well as, clinical training.
What Are The Career Prospects Of A PharmD Degree Holder?
As a doctor of pharmacy, you can work in patient care settings. You may choose to work in a local pharmacist or box store pharmacy in your community or perhaps, in a hospital/healthcare facility setting is more to your liking. A pharmacist consultant or managed care pharmacist might interest you, as well.
How Much Does A PharmD holder Earn?
According to the findings of U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2015, the median salary of a pharmacist is around $121,500 per year.
All You Need to Know About PhD in Pharmacy?
PhD in Pharmacy is a research-intensive program. As a PhD in Pharmacy holder, you will be qualified to educate and do research development in the pharmacy field. In addition, you may also consider positions as a regulatory affairs officer, a consultant, a science editor or medical writer or a position in clinical trial management. Furthermore, If you are interested in a career in research within the pharmaceutical realm or a career in teaching at a higher educational level, then a PhD program will be the perfect preparatory guide. Along with your coursework, you will be responsible for your own research and dissertation, which can take up to five years to complete.
How Long Does it Take To Complete PhD in Pharmacy Program?
Ideally, PhD students require five to six years to complete the requirements for the degree. However, the efficiencies built into the PharmD to PhD career path may shorten the time required for the PhD to approximately four years.
What Are The Courses To Expect in PhD in Pharmacy Program?
A PhD in Pharmacy program coursework consists of an emphasis on metabolism and biostatistics, infectious disease, human pharmacology and therapeutics. Invariably, these courses will prepare you to use advance research skills relating to new drug revelations, medical advancements and the distribution process to the patient.
Career Prospects Of A PhD in Pharmacy Degree Holder
As a PhD in Pharmacy degree holder, you will be qualified to educate and do research development in the pharmacy field, may also weigh positions as a regulatory affairs officer, a consultant, a science editor or medical writer or a position in clinical trial management. What it entails is that PhD holders are majorly found in an academic or in pharmaceutical research settings.
What is The Earning Potential of A PhD in Pharmacy Degree Holder?
According to the findings of U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2015, the medical researcher’s median salary is around $96,600 annually.
PharmD Vs PhD In Pharmacy?
Graduating with a PhD degree allows students access to careers in various industries within the private and public sectors. Similarly, graduates with a PharmD degree also have access to rewarding careers as pharmacists in public or private pharmacies. Although both degrees produce graduates in professional careers, students entering these degree programs have very different experiences. In addition, graduates of both PhD and PharmD degrees have different types of careers, salaries, and expectations. However, graduates of both PhD and PharmD degrees have different types of careers, salaries, and expectations. Students enrolled in either of these programs are provided very different understandings of the pharmacy profession. Here are notable differences between doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) and PhD in Pharmacy;
Nature of program
The PharmD program is primarily used by the student who intends to be a pharmacist while a PhD in Pharmacy is research-intensive, it does focus on the knowledge of biological science and patient care. Furthermore, the coursework offered in PharmD program is different from that offered in PhD pharmacy program. In the PharmD program, you learn courses like; pathology, biostatistics, immunology, drug interactions, physiology, anatomy, medical chemistry, physiology, biopharmaceutics, diagnosis of diseases, healthcare systems, therapeutics, pharmacy law and management, as well as, clinical training. On the other hand, during PhD pharmacy program, you are exposed to courses like; emphasis on metabolism and biostatistics, infectious disease, human pharmacology, and therapeutics.
Varying Entrance Requirements
The entrance requirements for a PhD and a PharmD degree vary slightly. Entry into most PhD programs requires a Masters degree in a related subject. For instance, to enter a PhD program in mathematics, students often need to have an advanced degree in mathematics or a related subject such as statistics, computer science or finance. In some cases, students may enter a PhD degree program with only a Bachelor’s degree. At most schools, PhD students acquire enough credits to obtain a Masters in Philosophy (MPhil) degree in the course of obtaining the PhD degree. On the other hand, the PharmD degree students need to have 60 to 90 credits completed in a related subject such as biology, chemistry or some other subjects. # Also, students can enter a PharmD degree with an associate (two-year) degree or a four-year degree. Unlike the entrance requirements for the PhD degree, requirements for the PharmD degree include a passing score on the PCAT exam. The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) exam is a four-hour exam with 280 questions broken into seven sections on writing (two parts), verbal ability, biology, chemistry, reading comprehension, and quantitative ability.
Program Duration
A PharmD program can be completed in four years while PhD degrees often take five or six years to complete. This is primarily because the purpose of the PharmD degree is to train professional-level pharmacists.
Difference in Career Outlook
As a doctor of pharmacy, you may choose to work in a local pharmacist or box store pharmacy in your community or perhaps, in a hospital/healthcare facility or as a pharmacist consultant or managed care pharmacist might interest you, as well. A PhD pharmacy degree holder on the other hand, is qualified to educate and do research development in the pharmacy field, and also, hold positions like; regulatory affairs officer, a consultant, a science editor or medical writer or a position in clinical trials management.
Difference in Salary Earnings
The salaries for PhD degree holders are often lower than those with PharmD degrees. According to a Payscale survey of PhD graduates, salaries for research scientists averaged between $49K and $108K. In addition, PhDs that teach in higher education make on average between $45K and $76K (assistant professors) and $56K and $96K (associate professors). Another Payscale survey of pharmacists reported that the salaries of those working in hospitals ranged from $82K to $112K. Salaries for those working in commercial retail chain pharmacies ranged from $85K to $113K.
Conclusion
Succinctly put, a PharmD program trains students for careers as pharmacists. The curriculum primarily focuses on gaining knowledge of the biological sciences with a clinical component that teaches future pharmacists to be health care providers. Whereas, a PhD in a pharmacy-related topic is more research-focused and gives students the opportunity to pursue their own original research project. A Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) is a professional doctorate degree needed to become a pharmacist. After earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and passing licensure examinations, College of Pharmacy graduates can practice pharmacy anywhere in the country. The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program requires at least two years of specific undergrad college study followed by four academic years (or three calendar years) of professional pharmacy study. The Doctor of Pharmacy program is for people who want to work as pharmacists. The Ph.D. program is intended for people interested in careers in research. Ideally, PhD students require five to six years to complete the requirements for the degree. However, the efficiencies built into the PharmD to PhD career path may shorten the time required for the PhD to approximately four years.
References
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