Careers information
Published: 22 February 2023
This was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
As experts in medicines and their use, pharmacists are a vital part of healthcare, and pharmacists also help people to stay well by supporting healthy lifestyles. Pharmacy is an exciting and varied career wherever you work, and can offer a wide range of fulfilling opportunities and roles.
Pharmacy is the third-largest healthcare profession in Britain, and pharmacists work in a wide range of settings, at the heart of communities as community pharmacists and across the NHS, including in GP surgeries or in hospitals. Pharmacists also work in a range of other roles and sectors such as industry, academia, education and training, as part of the military as an officer pharmacist or with animals as a veterinary pharmacist.
Pharmacists are respected professionals who can help patients manage their medicines, and many are now prescribers, providing care for patients across all settings.
How to become a pharmacist
Pharmacists, as experts in medicines, play a vital role in delivering care and helping people to maintain and improve their health, safety and wellbeing. To become a pharmacist, you’ll need an MPharm degree in pharmacy accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). You can apply for pharmacy courses, like most other degrees, through UCAS.
Universities set their own entry requirements for courses, but these will usually include three A-levels or higher or advanced higher qualifications in Scotland. Some universities require A-levels or advanced Highers in particular subjects, e.g. Chemistry, Biology, and another science, or even Maths.
MPharm degrees usually take four years. Afterwards, there’s a one-year practical training placement, known as the foundation year, and a final registration exam.
The MPharm degree teaches practical skills and theory, covering the chemistry of drugs and medicines, their preparation, action and uses, as well as how to prescribe (which became part of the pharmacy syllabus for all pharmacy graduates from 2021).
Courses will also cover aspects of physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology, pharmacy practice, pharmacy laws and standards, and advising on drug therapies. Many look at diagnosis of conditions, managing symptoms, promoting healthy lifestyles, and medicines use.
All accredited pharmacy courses must meet GPhC standards, but every course will be slightly different in structure, teaching methods, and assessment.
How to find out more
For more information about a course and to see the requirements for entry, visit the UCAS website.
For details about specific courses, visit each university’s website, read their prospectus or attend an open day.
Materials for teachers and careers advisors
To help students who may be interested in a pharmacy career, download our ‘A future in Pharmacy‘ careers leaflet (PDF).
If you’re speaking at local schools or careers fairs, the NHS has some excellent pharmacy careers resources for use in England, Scotland, and Wales.
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