Practicing pharmacy with a bachelor's degree?

[alicek]

I have been looking at pharmacist jobs lately and I noticed that a lot of them require either a PharmD. degree OR a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. I don't get it, can you really just major in pharmacy in college and be a legally-practicing pharmacist???

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[Lurkerkat]

Seven years ago the bachelors in pharmacy was scrapped and the only available degree offered is now a PharmD. So people who went to school before 2000 may have either a B.Pharm or a PharmD and be a practicing pharmacist.

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

To expand upon what has already been said, prior to 2004 there were two degrees available that would allow someone to become a licensed pharmacist; either a Pharm.D. or a B. Sci in Pharmacy. However, due to ACPE mandate, 2004 was the last graduating class that had the option of the bachelors or Pharm.D. and now the only degree you can get is a Pharm.D

 

[alicek]

I wonder if in a couple of years' time you won't be allowed to practice pharmacy without a PharmD degree-- i.e. I wonder if the bachelor's degree pharms will have to go back to school to get their advanced degrees.

 

[Requiem]

I wonder if in a couple of years' time you won't be allowed to practice pharmacy without a PharmD degree-- i.e. I wonder if the bachelor's degree pharms will have to go back to school to get their advanced degrees.

From what I know, the older degrees are never forbidden to practice. They are "grandfathered" in, and recognized as equivalents.

You'll see only pharmD's practicing in the future I suppose, but a B.Sc. won't be forced to change degrees to keep his same job, as I see it anyway.

You realize every single pharmacist in Canada is "just" a bachelor's degree? There are movements to implement an entry level PharmD program, but as it stands the admitting class of 2011 is applying for a B.Sc. pharmacy, so it's a while down the road.

 

[sdn1977]

I wonder if in a couple of years' time you won't be allowed to practice pharmacy without a PharmD degree-- i.e. I wonder if the bachelor's degree pharms will have to go back to school to get their advanced degrees.

Nope - never. That is part of the ACPE statement. The actual education of anyone who is practicing now is pretty much equivalent - I know - altho I've got a PharmD, I've worked with others who went to other schools & we all learned the same material. The degree change was a reflection of a decision to make all programs uniform, which they were for the most part already & to make the entry level degree for registration uniform.

Don't get hung up on degrees - you can be mislead & feel unnecessarily "superior" and lose out on working with some very experienced & knowledgable folks.

And...as Requiem pointed out....not every country has the same educational system we have, but they may indeed do the same work (or more extensive work in some cases) than we do.