Pharmacists

Pharmacy students can obtain valuable experience by completing an internship at a retail pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, or other employer of pharmacists.

You will need good people skills to effectively interact with patients, other pharmacy workers, and other health care professionals. Retail pharmacists will need to have particularly good customer service skills as they interact with people potentially waiting in line in a retail environment. A good bedside manner (a kind, comforting approach), like that required of doctors, will help you in a hospital or nursing home setting, particularly as pharmacists' responsibilities expand to include counseling and advising. You should also be very organized, and have an eye for detail—doctors, nurses, and patients will all be relying on you to keep accurate drug records.