Pharmacists

(NOC 3131)

in All Health

Pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed medications. They support caregivers and other health care professionals and help patients manage their medications. Pharmacists work in retail and hospital pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion, and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They work for pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 110 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Moderate rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Health

  • Estimate 3550 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 6335 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Jobseekers may experience some difficulty in finding employment, and may have to consider moving to take advantage of opportunities in smaller communities. There are typically a larger number of candidates for vacancies in Halifax. Industry changes in recent years have contributed to little wage growth and weak demand, particularly in the hospital system. Current labour market conditions may require jobseekers to accept part-time employment to gain experience. Some opportunities are shift-work, which can include evenings, weekends, and long shifts.

Hourly Pay

N/A

Minimum

N/A

Median

N/A

Maximum

Annual Pay

$64,830

Minimum

$93,743

Median

$123,079

Maximum

Compared to: All Health

Hourly Pay

$16.70

Minimum

$26.60

Median

$43.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,740

Minimum

$43,853

Median

$88,944

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed medications. They support caregivers and other health care professionals and help patients manage their medications. Pharmacists work in retail and hospital pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion, and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They work for pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.

Job duties

Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists:

  • Check prescriptions for proper dosage.
  • Compound prescribed medications by calculating, measuring, and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity.
  • Dispense prescribed medications to customers or to other health care professionals and advise them on dosage and signs of adverse effects and drug interactions.
  • Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs.
  • Make sure vaccines, serums, biologicals, and other drugs are prepared, packaged, distributed, and stored properly.
  • Order and maintain stock of pharmaceutical supplies.
  • Advise customers on selection and use of non-prescription medication.
  • May supervise and coordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians, and other staff.

Industrial pharmacists:

  • Participate in research for the development of new drugs.
  • Make new drug products developed by medical researchers.
  • Test new drug products for stability and to determine absorption and elimination patterns.
  • Coordinate clinical investigations of new drugs.
  • Control the quality of drug products during production to ensure that they meet standards of potency, purity, uniformity, stability, and safety.
  • Develop information materials concerning the uses, properties, and risks of drugs.
  • Evaluate labelling, packaging, and advertising of drug products.
  • Promote pharmaceutical products to health professionals.

Sample job titles

  • clinical pharmacist
  • dispensary department supervisor - hospital
  • hospital pharmacist
  • pharmacist
  • pharmacist consultant
  • retail pharmacist

Skills

  • You should have an interest in helping people in a healthcare environment. You should have an interest in chemistry and an aptitude for detail, precision, and accuracy. Effective communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills are essential. You must be patient and able to deal with people in a mature, tactful, and empathetic way.

Job requirements

  • A Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy is required.
  • Pharmacists also require practical training under the supervision of a pharmacist.
  • Licensure is required in Nova Scotia for community and hospital pharmacists.

Other considerations

  • Pharmacists often work rotating shifts that include evenings and holidays.

By the numbers

Quick look

1,405

employed in 2016

80.4%

employed full-time

6.4%

self employed

71.4%
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28.6%
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39.9

median age

Compared to: All Health

36,515

employed in 2016

75.7%

employed full-time

9.6%

self employed

83.6%
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16.4%
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43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

53.9%

Halifax

$80,560 median annual income
14.5%

North Shore

$85,876 median annual income
14.5%

Cape Breton

$92,840 median annual income
9.6%

Southern

$94,117 median annual income
7.4%

Annapolis Valley

$89,168 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

85.3%

Retail trade

12.4%

Health care and social assistance

0.8%

Public administration

0.8%

Manufacturing

0.8%

Wholesale trade

What is the age of Employment?

30.0%

25-34

23.0%

35-44

21.0%

45-54

17.0%

55-64

7.0%

15-24

2.0%

65+

Compared to: All Health

24.0%

25-34

23.9%

45-54

21.9%

35-44

18.4%

55-64

7.7%

15-24

Top levels of education

81.4%

Bachelor

$85,807 median annual income
8.9%

Diploma Above Bachelor

$82,401 median annual income
3.6%

Master

$59,832 median annual income
2.1%

Doctorate

$89,535 median annual income
1.1%

College Diploma

N/A

Compared to: All Health

38.4%

College Diploma

$40,033 median annual income
27.1%

Bachelor

$61,668 median annual income
8.7%

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Optometry

$81,191 median annual income
6.8%

High school

$24,829 median annual income
5.1%

Master

$69,296 median annual income

Education & training

Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (MSc, PhD)

University Program

These programs focus on on applying chemistry to the study of biologically and clinically active substances, biological and pharmacological interactions, and the development of associated research methods, techniques, and clinical trial procedures. They include courses in organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular graphics, rational drug design, toxicology, molecular biology, pharmacology, enzyme mechanisms, receptor theory, neurochemistry, drug metabolism, drug synthesis, biological mechanisms of drug action, research tools and techniques, and laboratory safety.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Pharmacy (PharmD [USA], PharmD or BSc/BPharm [Canada])

University Program

These programs prepare students for the independent or employed practice of preparing and dispensing drugs and medications in consultation with prescribing physicians and other health care professionals, and for managing pharmacy practices and counselling patients. They include courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacy practice, pharmacy administration, applicable regulations, and professional standards and ethics.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Pharmacist

Right to Title and Practice: This job is regulated. The job title is protected, and you may not use it without a professional licence. A licence shows that the holder has met provincial requirements and is required to legally do this work.

Regulating body:
Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists - Nova Scotia Branch
Nova Scotia, Canada
Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, NS
Health Care Human Resource Sector Council
Bedford, NS
Canadian Pharmacists Association
Ottawa, ON