What is the difference between a Pharmacologist and a Pharmacist?

This article deals about the differences between a Pharmacist and a Pharmacologist from the viewpoint of career and the scope it has for students or undergraduates. This article is for you if you want to consider any of the above professions as a career but is in doubt about the differences between the two of them.

It is always important for everyone to know as much as they can about careers like these which require a lot of schooling so that one can ensure they are on the right track. Although it is possible to switch careers and higher education, why take the risk of doing so when you can learn about the career you are going to delve into beforehand. Although the two professions Pharmacist and Pharmacologist sound alike they perform totally different task in their duties. It is very important to know every aspect of this profession before you delve into them to make your career in any of the two.

Factors on which the profession of Pharmacist and Pharmacologist can be distinguished

Job Description

Pharmacist – One of the most important aspects of the work of a pharmacist is the dispensation of medication to patients. Other than that they also provide the patients with professional healthcare education about the quantity of dosage of the medication. One of the main goals of a Pharmacist is to help the patients get well by proper usage of the medicine. They help in diagnosing the patients and also direct them with the further spread of disease. Another role they play is to reduce the symptoms as well as the removal of the unwanted process of physiological health of the patient. They are able to predict and understand these factors due to the education they receive which helps them to understand the composition and process of manufacturing of the drugs and their various uses in the human body. They are also trained in detecting purity and composition of different drugs and this helps them to choose the right medication for the patients. Only the pharmacists have the right to dispense medication to patients. Those students who have intentions of working in a pharmacy to dispense medication can attain a Bachelor in Pharmacy degree which would also allow them to provide a single license to medication shops for dispensing medication.

Pharmacologists – A pharmacologist, on the other hand, does not have any duty related to dispensing medications or deciding dosages. They are more bend on the science of discovery of new medication and how it reacts with a human body. Before the medication reaches the pharmaceutical stores, the source of the chemical properties and the effects of medicine on patients are studied by Pharmacologists. The study involves the discovery of drug or even the study of the toxicology of the drugs as there are various specializations and disciplines available in the study of Pharmacology. There are generally two areas of Pharmacological studies which are given below:

• Pharmacodynamics – it is the study on the effect of drugs at a cellular level in the human body which poses some molecular, physiological and biological effects on the human body.
• Pharmacokinetics – it the study and analysis of the delivery, absorption, and excretion of drugs from the human body at the molecular level.

Work Environment of a Pharmacists and Pharmacologists

Pharmacist – The general work environment of a pharmacist is in a pharmaceutical store in any township or city where they will dispense medications themselves for minor diseases and for some serious or major illness, a dispensation will be based on proper prescriptions from the doctor. They also work for drug companies in the distribution of medicines and their marketing as well as in hospitals or clinics as drug dispenser. They also have the options to teach medicine in universities or colleges of Pharmacy.

Pharmacologists – They are the professionals who work in research centers, laboratories, and academic institutions. They never interact with patients, but rather work in Private Health foundation, Pharmaceutical companies, Government Funded Research Centers or teach in Academic Institutions related to Pharmaceuticals.

Professional Duties of Pharmacists and Pharmacologists

Pharmacists – most of the time the pharmacists spend their time in filling out prescriptions and advising patients on drug dosages and filling out medical insurance forms and other forms of administrative designations. Although most pharmacists work in stores some of them also work as assistants to doctors in clinics.

Pharmacologist – they are often professionals in research and medicine who are responsible for the development of drugs and test its safety and effectiveness. They are specialists of certain areas of medicines like that of chemotherapy, veterinary, endocrine pharmacology and many more.

Education of Pharmacists and Pharmacologists

Pharmacist – education of Pharmacists depends on what kind of profession you want to choose in future. If you want to open up a pharmaceutical store or drug store, one can study diploma in pharmacy which is a 2-year course after 10+2 boards with science stream. If one wants to work in top pharmaceutical industries, then they have to study Bachelors degree in Pharmacy (B. Pharm), which is a 4-year course that can be taken up after 10+2 boards in science stream. If one is interested in working in hospitals and community-based health centers assisting doctors, you can study Pharm. D (Doctor of Pharmacy). It is a 6-year course which includes 5 years of clinical and community-based study and a 1-year internship in hospitals. It can be done after 10+2. One can also study M. Pharm which would give you an advantage over B. Pharm students in the field of Research and Development.

 Pharmacology – students interested in Pharmacological studies have to pass their 10+2 board exams and then opt for B.Sc in Pharmacology a 3 year or in some institutions 4 years for their bachelors’ degree. Then after the 1^st year of the program, you would be given options to choose your specialization which will continue in your Master's Degree as well as Ph. D degree in Pharmacology. Some of the specializations in Pharmacology are Biotechnology, Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Design and Development, Biometrics and many more.

Scope of Pharmacists and Pharmacologists