The practice of pharmacy is an important part of total health care. Pharmacists dispense drugs and medicines. They also must understand the use, composition and effect of drugs and how they are tested for purity and strength. An understanding of general and organic chemistry is an essential part of being a good pharmacist. Pharmacists also must maintain patient medication profiles and advise physicians on the proper selection and use of medicines. A pharmacist must also do compounding. Compounding is the actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments and solutions.

A pharmacist employed in a community pharmacy also may have other duties, such as buying and selling non-pharmaceutical merchandise, hiring and supervising personnel and overseeing the operation of the pharmacy. A pharmacist employed in a hospital or clinic dispenses inpatient and outpatient prescriptions and advises the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs. Some people put their pharmaceutical training to other uses such as sales, teaching, research or writing.

The average starting salary for a pharmacist is up to $90,000 annually. Employers advertise in trade and daily papers and advise pharmacy schools of vacancies.

Missouri State offers the courses necessary for admission into the second and/or third year classes at the Schools of Pharmacy. The Pharmacy degree is not offered at Missouri State. There are two pharmacy schools in Missouri. The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy, 5005 Rockhill Road, Kansas City , Missouri, 64110, 816-235-1613, http://pharmacy.umkc.edu, admits students as graduating seniors from high school, in a regular track which involves one year at Missouri State and five years at UMKC. This program leads to a doctor of pharmacy degree. 

Requirements are as follows:

The first year of course work at Missouri State University

• GEP 110: Intro to University Life
• CSC 101 or 111: Computers for Learning
• ENG 110 and 210, 220 or 221: Writing I and II
• CHM 160, 170 and 175: General Chemistry I and II
• MTH 261: Calculus with Analytical Geometry
• PHY 123 or PHY 203: Physics I
• BIO 121 or BIO 134: General Biology I or General Botany
• BIO 122 or BMS 110: General Biology II or Concepts in the Biomedical Sciences
• Additional 3 hours in Behavioral/Social Sciences and Humanities/Fine Arts

The other school is St. Louis College of Pharmacy, 4588 Parkview Place, St. Louis, MO, 63110-1088, 314-367-8700, www.stlcop.edu/, which admits students as graduating seniors from high school. As of December 2000, St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) only accepts transfer students into the third year of STLCOP’s program and only in the fall semester. This program leads to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Requirements are as follows:

The first year of course work at Missouri State University

• GEP 110: Intro to University Life
• CSC 101 or 111: Computers for Learning
• ENG 110 and 210, 220 or 221: Writing I and II
• CHM 160, 170 and 175: General Chemistry I and II
• BIO 121 and 122 or BMS 110: Biology I and Biology II or Concepts in Biomedical Sciences
• PSY 121: Psychology
• SOC 150: Sociology
• MTH 261: Calculus with Analytical Geometry

 

The second year of course work at Missouri State University

• BMS 307 and 308: Human Anatomy and Human Physiology
• CHM 310 and 312: Organic Chemistry I and II
• PHY 123 and 124 or 203 and 204: Physics I and II
• HST 101 and 102 or HST 103 and 104 World/Western Civilization or World History I and II

Please consult the Missouri State Catalog online at www.missouristate.edu/ catalog for course descriptions and specific degree requirements, including courses in the Department of Chemistry, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Physics and Mathematics.

The College of Natural and Applied Sciences supports the teaching, research and service missions of Missouri State. The departments in the college are Applied Consumer Sciences; Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Environmental Sciences and Policy; Fruit Science; Geography, Geology and Planning; Mathematics; Physics; Astronomy; and Material Science.

The college promotes excellence in the natural and applied sciences by providing general education for all undergraduates at Missouri State and specialized instruction for majors in various undergraduate degree programs within the college and graduate programs of Biology, Chemistry, Resource Planning, Mathematics and Materials Science.

The college expands knowledge in the natural and applied sciences through scholarly activities performed by both faculty and students. The college also provides appropriate service to the surrounding academic, civic and private groups and individuals.

There are opportunities to participate in the Cooperative Education program, providing valuable experience in an actual pharmacy setting.