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- Version:
- NOC 2021 Version 1.0
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31120 – Pharmacists
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. They are employed in retail and health centre pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They are employed in pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.
Profile
Example titles
- Clinical pharmacist
- Community pharmacist
- Hospital pharmacist
- Industrial pharmacist
- Pharmacist
- Retail pharmacist
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists
- Check prescriptions for proper dosage
- Compound prescribed pharmaceutical products by calculating, measuring and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity
- Dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to customers or to other health care professionals and advise them on indications, contra-indications, adverse effects, drug interactions and dosage
- Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs
- Ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biologicals and other drugs and pharmaceuticals
- Order and maintain stock of pharmaceutical supplies
- Advise customers on selection and use of non-prescription medication
- Renew existing prescriptions in limited circumstances
- May adapt the formulation, regimen, duration or route of administration of medication
- May supervise and coordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and other staff.
Industrial pharmacists
- Participate in research for the development of new drugs
- Formulate new drug products developed by medical researchers
- Test new drug products for stability and to determine absorption and elimination patterns
- Coordinate clinical investigations of new drugs
- Control the quality of drug products during production to ensure that they meet standards of potency, purity, uniformity, stability and safety
- Develop information materials concerning the uses, properties and risks of particular drugs
- Evaluate labelling, packaging and advertising of drug products
- Promote pharmaceutical products to health professionals.
Employment requirements
- A university degree in pharmacy and a period of supervised practical training are required.
- Licensure is required in all provinces and territories for community and hospital pharmacists.
Additional information
Exclusions
- Chemists (21101)
- Chief of pharmacy; pharmacy director (in 30010 Managers in health care)
- Drugstore manager; pharmacy manager - retail (in 60020 Retail and wholesale trade managers)
- Pharmaceutical sales representative (in 62100 Technical sales specialists - wholesale trade)
- Pharmacologist (in 21110 Biologists and related scientists)
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (33103)
- Pharmacy technicians (32124)
Breakdown summary
- Broad occupational category
- 3 – Health occupations
- TEER
- 1 – Occupations usually require a university degree
- Major group
- 31 – Professional occupations in health
- Sub-major group
- 311 – Health treating and consultation services professionals
- Minor group
- 3112 – Pharmacists and dietitians
- Version
- NOC 2021 Version 1.0