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Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists:
Industrial pharmacists:
Source: 2011 National Household Survey (Full-time full-year median employment income)
N/A - Data not available
Source: 2016 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 1,670
Community pharmacists:
Hospital pharmacists:
Most pharmacists work approximately 40–50 hours per week. However, they may be required to work longer hours if they are self-employed or if they work in locations that are under-staffed. Part-time employment is common among pharmacists nearing retirement.
Because of the current shortage of pharmacists, trained pharmacy technicians now prepare and dispense most medications, while pharmacists focus on disease assessment and management of patient care.
Technological advancements are leading to increased automation, further reducing the amount of time pharmacists spend preparing and dispensing medications.
Pharmacists work in a professional environment that requires pharmacist–patient confidentiality. They spend the majority of their work day standing, which can result in back strain. The preparation of medicines can be meticulous work, involving measuring out small quantities of hazardous compounds and conducting calculations. This work may require pharmacists to wear safety goggles, aprons and gloves, and to use fume hoods. Pharmacists must stay alert at all times in order to maintain a safe working environment and to ensure patient safety through the proper preparation of medications.
Pharmacists use computers to assess and store patient information, drug information and educational information. Extended use of computers can cause eye strain.
The internet has increased the amount of drug-related information available to the public, creating more informed consumers and patients. Pharmacists are often asked to verify information and are required to answer detailed questions about different treatments and medications.
Source: 2011 National Household Survey
Note:1Data represents Wholesale and Retail Trade and will be updated when the 2017 data is available from Statistics Canada.
Pharmacists are required to have completed a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. In addition, they must pass a board examination administered by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada and, in order to practise in B.C., must also pass an English Language Fluency exam.
Before becoming fully licensed, pharmacists must have 1,000 hours of practical experience through an intern or apprentice program. The practical requirements may be reduced to 160 or 500 hours for formally licensed pharmacists who had left the industry and are applying to be re-licensed. The practical requirements may also be reduced for pharmacists who immigrate to B.C. from other countries.
The University of British Columbia's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences includes a clerkship program as part of its degree requirements, in which students work for 20 weeks in the pharmaceutical industry, usually as a technician under the guidance of a licensed pharmacist. Residency training is highly recommended for hospital pharmacists.
Because they frequently come into contact with hazardous chemical compounds, pharmacists must take workplace hazardous materials information systems training. First aid and advanced cardiac life support certifications are beneficial, but are not required. Retail pharmacists who plan to establish their own practices often take accounting and other business courses.
As of July 1, 2017 when the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) came into force, you will not need significant additional training, experience, testing or assessment if your qualifications or certificates are recognized by a Canadian regulatory authority. This applies whether you were trained in Canada or internationally. Learn about labour mobility at www.workersmobility.ca. For information about labour mobility and foreign qualifications recognition, contact the B.C. regulator for your occupation.
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
A significant number of job openings are expected in response to new job creation and the need to replace retiring workers.
The demand for pharmaceutical services is rising in response to the increasing proportion of the population who are over the age of 65. Over the last decade years, Canada's aging population has led to a rapidly increasing number of prescriptions being filled by pharmacists. The largest increase in pharmacy activity has taken place in community pharmacies that are located in food and general merchandise stores. Many jobs will be created in retail pharmacies as more supermarkets and general merchandisers open pharmacies in their stores.
The aging population is putting increased pressure on hospital pharmacies. According to the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, an increasing number of hospitals, especially in small centres, have reported long-term vacancies for pharmacists. Many pharmacists are leaving hospitals to work in community pharmacies. One reason for this may be that hospital pharmacists generally earn a lower wage than community pharmacists, despite working under more stressful conditions. Temporary vacancies that result from maternity leaves are also difficult to fill.
Industry reports a current shortage of pharmacists in B.C. In particular, rural communities are short of both community and hospital pharmacists. As such, demand for pharmacists in these smaller communities is high.
As employers in under-served regions tend to experience difficulties in hiring these professionals when vacancies occur, the B.C. provincial government has offered loan forgiveness to physiotherapist graduates who commit to work in these regions. For more details on the loan-forgiveness program, please view the StudentAid BC website at https://studentaidbc.ca/repay/repayment-help/bc-loan-forgiveness-program.
Graduates of clinical and non-clinical hospital pharmacy programs, and pharmacists with previous experience working in hospitals, are also in demand in the province. Those with doctorate of pharmacy degrees are in particularly high demand in hospitals.
Career paths
Recent graduates typically obtain employment as staff pharmacists, therapeutic specialists or store managers in a retail environment, with hospitals, health authorities or the pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmacists working in retail outlets may eventually open their own practice or be promoted to an executive management position within a retail pharmacy chain.
Pharmacists working for pharmaceutical companies can advance to become lead researchers within the company and may eventually move into an executive position.
Hospital pharmacists may move into supervisory positions, specialize in a particular area of clinical pharmacy, become information specialists or move into hospital administration (for example, becoming regional directors).
Some pharmacists who pursue education beyond a bachelor's degree may eventually become pharmacy educators and researchers at universities.
Experienced pharmacists may also move into government administrative positions.
Additional resources
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