Pharmacist
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
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. (National Occupational Classification)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational description
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- OCCinfo by alis (includes video)-Alberta-based occupational information
- Career Explorer by Sokanu - Pharmacist occupational info and videos (U.S.)
- A Day in the Life of a Pharmacist - The Princeton Review (U.S.)
- Pharmacy Officer - overview of roles with the Canadian Armed Forces, includes video
- Pharmacy Career Pathways - American Pharmacy Association (U.S)
- Pharmacist Overview - from Explore Health Careers (U.S.)
- Discover your Future in Healthcare: Pharmacist (video) - University of Manitoba
- Let's Talk Science - Career Profiles
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit U of M's faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- College of Pharmacy - Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
- Access Program - Health Careers Access Program (HCAP)
- Professional Health Access Program - supports Indigenous students who have been accepted into a professional health program
Exploring Other Education Options
- Canadian Faculties and Schools of Pharmacy - Canadian Pharmacists Association
- PharmD School Directory - Pharmacy College Application Service (U.S)
- Search Directories - Exploring Educational Options
Information for foreign-trained Pharmacists - Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals - collective agreements and pay scale information
- Canadian Institute for Health Information: About Pharmacists - within reports view 'Table of Contents' (tab 3 within Excel doc)
- Opportunext (Manitoba Region) - Occupational Information
Professional Associations
Professional associations may organize events and provide directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities may also be available: engage, learn and network!
- Pharmacists Manitoba
- College of Pharmacists of Manitoba
- Canadian Pharmacists Association
- Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists
- Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada - represents pharmacy educators
- American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (U.S.)
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (U.S.)
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Regional Health Authorities - Province of Manitoba
- Health Regions in Canada - listings and maps from Statistics Canada
- Consumer Health Products of Canada - Company membership directory
- Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada (scroll to see members list)
- Innovative Medicines Canada - corporate members
- BioTalent Canada - Building skills for Canada's bio-economy
- College of Pharmacists of Manitoba - Pharmacy Directory
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority + search other RHA job boards in MB & Canada
- HealthCareJobs.ca
- Career Opportunities - Pharmacists Manitoba
- The PetriDish - from BioTalent Canada (of interest to industrial pharmacists)
Other links
These external resources may provide you with additional information about the occupation and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Undergraduate Leaders in Healthcare - campus student group
- Rady Faculty of Health Science Community Mentorship Program - U of M student-led program (Facebook group)
- Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns
- Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy
- International Pharmaceutical Federation
- Organizations in the Drug Industry - Canadian Pharmacists Association
- Doctors Without Borders: Pharmacists