Retailing pharmaceuticals in the USA is a rather huge market. Most pharmacies in the United States are private. Every person can buy absolutely any product in the US pharmacy, even if this does not apply to medications. American pharmacies occupy a fairly large area, consist of two zones – the zone for dispensing drugs and a self-service zone. In the states, almost all medications are sold only by prescription. Only several types of drugs can be purchased over the counter. If you have a prescription, but it is released from a different country, such a prescription won’t be legal. You can only buy drugs that are manufactured in the United States.
Also, in pharmacies, in addition to selling goods, different services can be provided, such as vaccination, or testing. All customer information is stored in a special computer system.
US pharmacist
The work of a pharmacist is a job with a good salary. Today, over 270,000 people work as a pharmacist. Most of them work in private pharmacies. But, at the same time, the need for pharmacists is growing every year. After all, the requirements for pharmacy workers are very high. They work 40 hours a week, on weekends and even without holidays. In addition, they can often travel on business to ensure that the patient is treated properly.
How to become a pharmacist in the USA?
High salaries and a great need for specialists in this field make the pharmacist profession attractive for many, therefore, there is always a high competition in educational institutions where future Pharmacists are trained. There are more than 100 such specialized educational institutions in the USA. Annually, over 96,000 applicants apply for them, but only 50,000 students are enrolled in their studies.
To obtain a doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences (and you can only become a Pharmacist in the USA with such a diploma) you need to unlearn 2-3 years at a college or university and then take a 4-year course in a special pharmaceutical college. Only accredited educational institutions can prepare pharmacists. After receiving a basic pharmaceutical education and passing a series of exams, the specialist is granted the degree of Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
But to work in the specialty, such a graduate will still have to take a one-year or 2-year practical course of postgraduate education or postgraduate study. Pharmacists who intend to open their own pharmacies, in most cases, must additionally receive an MBA degree – masters of business administration.
To get a job, pharmacists will need a license. To do this, they will have to pass a series of additional exams and tests. The list of exams and tests, the necessary requirements for getting a license in different states are different.
What is an online pharmacy in the USA and Canada?
An online pharmacy service like aaoaf.org or cvs.com is operating on the territory of the USA and Canada. Each company is creating a website where there is a complete online catalog. All the stuff is distinguished according to drug categories. The majority of medications is generics. Generics are produced by well-known licensed pharmaceutical companies. These medications are direct equivalents of brand-name drugs.
One more distinctive feature offered by online pharmacies is international delivery. There is no problem if you are living in a remote Asian country or in Mexico, your medications will be delivered on time. Every company offers different fees and charges. They are fixed and doesn’t increase depending on the destination.
It becomes very convenient to buy medications online. You have to complete several steps to submit an order. Your personal data will be carefully kept by means of secure technical options.