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A pharmacist and pharmacist can work anywhere other than a pharmacy. Where can a pharmacist work other than a pharmacy? Qualities necessary for success in the profession

The profession of a pharmacist is much more than a pharmacist. This responsible work for storage and sale medicines. A specialist by profession, a pharmacist is a specialist with a higher medical education. Junior colleagues engaged in similar activities, but with less responsibility and secondary vocational education, are called pharmacists.

What does a pharmacist do?

The specialty of a pharmacist is multifaceted. Working in the production sector, the pharmacist knows exactly not only who and how much to weigh in grams, but also what. What the drug consists of, what components it contains, how to combine them correctly, and much more, the pharmacist knows. The profession of a pharmacist is another area of activity of this specialty. Having a higher education, this specialist can also be a clinical pharmacist - work in a clinic, hospitalist - in a hospital, do research and much more. Excellent prospects for the specialty of pharmacist open up to people with experience. Immediately after receiving higher education, you can get a job as a medical representative of one of the pharmaceutical companies, and also work as a product manager, performing the function of supporting a commercial drug for a company, and even work as a marketer, doing promotion, studying prices, market and demand for medical supplies generally. However, you can take your time and go work as a pharmacist in a pharmacy. Unlike a pharmacist, the profession of a pharmacist allows a graduate to have a wide choice of vacancies and areas of activity.

Pharmacist specialty training

Training in the specialty of pharmacist is carried out at the university. Despite the fact that it is possible to undergo training to become a pharmacist in the specialty of Pharmacy at a higher educational institution, the specialty of a pharmacist and a pharmacist should not be confused. The first will receive higher education, and the second only secondary vocational education. Of course, studying to become a pharmacist at a university opens up broader prospects in the labor market, but it also imposes obligations on the graduate to regularly improve their qualifications. When applying to study as a pharmacist at a university, you must take biology (or physics), chemistry and the Russian language. In Russia, dozens of universities are ready to accept USE results. In Moscow, training to become a pharmacist can be completed, for example, at the Moscow Medical Academy named after I.M. Sechenov, Moscow state university named after M.V. Lomonosov, Russian State Medical University, Russian University friendship of peoples and many others.

Where can a pharmacist work?

By definition, a pharmacist can work in any organization associated with the production, dispensing or research of drugs. This may include hospitals, pharmacies and large pharmaceutical companies. Most pharmacists connect their lives with pharmacies. In this case, unlike a pharmacist, it is quite possible for a pharmacist to become a pharmacy manager. Great career opportunities open up for pharmacists in pharmaceutical companies. You can not only research, but also create your own drug, vaccine or dietary supplement. All this is quite realistic for working as a pharmacist. But there are two more areas where talented pharmacists can show themselves - marketing and sales. In the first case, you can engage in market research, study competitors and fight for the best sales figures, and in the second, you can actively promote the product to the market. As a rule, pharmacists in pharmaceutical companies receive very good money and never regret their chosen line of work.

Pros and cons of the profession of a pharmacist

When weighing the pros and cons of working as a pharmacist, consider the pros:

Excellent career prospects for a graduate with a degree in pharmacist are real.
A good salary is possible immediately after graduation.
It is possible to work in international companies and large pharmaceutical representative offices.

Don't forget about the disadvantages:

The profession of a pharmacist requires a high level of knowledge; mistakes are unacceptable here.
Working as a pharmacist requires perfect accuracy and responsibility for people's health.
It is required to regularly improve your qualifications, constantly study, and monitor medical innovations.
Sometimes you have to work in pharmacies for several years as a pharmacist, without being able to get a good job without experience.

By choosing to study as a pharmacist, you have the opportunity to decide who to work with, but to begin with, there is only one thing left to do - study hard.

Are you planning to get a pharmacist diploma? Then you have a direct path to higher education educational institution. It is universities that train pharmacists, and today you can obtain a pharmacist diploma in Russia by completing a training course at a pharmaceutical institute or at a specialized department of a medical university.
Thousands of applicants have already decided to connect their lives with the profession of a pharmacist, some of them have entered the institute, while others are yet to do so. Where can you train to become a pharmacist and where should those who also decide to become a pharmacist apply?
Do you work in your specialty and it’s time to get a pharmacist certificate? This task is not so difficult, if, of course, you know how to obtain a pharmacist certificate.
Do you work as a pharmacist and want something more or are you just planning to connect your life with the medical field, but the answer is how to become a pharmacist in a pharmacy Or is there no other place yet? Then let's figure out how to become a pharmacist.
The vast majority of existing professions have knowledge-enhancing retraining programs. Advanced training courses for pharmacists were no exception. The knowledge that can be obtained during retraining of pharmacists has two main goals.
Courses for pharmacists

Recently, issues of increasing the level of postgraduate training of personnel in the relevant profile have become very acute. They also do not ignore the profession of pharmacist. However, pharmacist courses in Moscow and the regions are enough for any pharmacist to feel confident in his competence.
Question, can a pharmacist work as a pharmacist?- not idle. The pharmacist has a higher education, the pharmacist has a secondary professional education. This means that the pharmacist still has more knowledge and skills. But can a pharmacist work as a pharmacist? Yes or still no?

Today, the activities of pharmacies implement the requirements of orders of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated August 31, 2016 No. 646n and 647n. Data regulations are implemented through the Regulations on licensing of pharmaceutical activities (approved by Decree of the Russian Federation of December 22, 2011 No. 1081, as amended on July 2, 2017).

Nevertheless, a number of questions arise from representatives of pharmacy organizations that are related to staffing. Today there are problems of combining positions and professional responsibilities. This is, for example, the question of whether pharmacists with professional education in the specialties “Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy (PCiF)” or “Pharmaceutical Technology (PT)” can occupy leadership positions pharmacy organization, requiring education in the specialty “Management and economics of pharmacy»?

And the problem is even more common with specialists who have an education in “Pharmaceutical Management and Economics.” Due to personnel problems, they are forced to perform the functions of pharmacists. In other words, can a manager stand behind a pharmacy counter and engage in retail sales of drugs?

Is it possible to work as a pharmacist with only a certificate in “Pharmaceutical Management and Economics”?

The Ministry of Health clearly takes a position on this issue (download Letter dated December 7, 2017): no, such a specialist cannot carry out professional activities under the profile “Pharmacist-technologist” or “Pharmacist-analyst”. The Ministry of Health refers to a number of regulations and laws.

IN Federal law dated April 12, 2010 No. 61-FZ “On the circulation of medicines” states that individuals must have a secondary or higher pharmaceutical education and have a specialist certificate.

In Article 8 Federal Law dated May 4, 2011 No. 99-FZ “On Licensing individual species activities"Requirements for education and required work experience are also established.

According to requirements Provisions on licensing of pharmaceutical activities(Government Decree Russian Federation dated December 22, 2011 No. 1081), as well as the provisions of the Unified qualification directory positions of managers, specialists and employees (Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia dated July 23, 2010 No. 541n) and qualification characteristics, specialists who have received a certificate in the specialty “Management and Economics of Pharmacy” can occupy one of the positions of managers of a pharmacy organization:

Director (manager, chief) of a pharmacy organization;

Deputy director (manager, chief) of a pharmacy organization;

Manager (chief) structural unit(department) of a pharmacy organization.

If such an employee will carry out activities under the profile “Proviso-technologist” or “Pharmacist-analyst”, then for this it is necessary to obtain a specialist certificate in the specialty “Pharmaceutical Technology”.

Qualification requirements for pharmacy workers

Qualification characteristics: pharmacist

Speciality	Job title	Qualification requirements
Pharmacy Management and Economics	Director (manager); Deputy Director (Head); Warehouse manager for the wholesale trade of medicines; Head of the medical warehouse of the mobilization reserve; Deputy warehouse manager for the wholesale trade of medicines; Manager (head) of a structural unit (department) of a pharmacy organization.	Higher professional education in the specialty "Pharmacy", preparation for internship/residency in the specialty "Management and Economics of Pharmacy", Professional retraining in specialty "Management and economics of pharmacy" for managers of pharmacy organizations, work experience of at least three (two) years.
Pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacognosy (FHiF)	Pharmacist-analyst, Pharmacist, Senior pharmacist, Head of a structural unit (department) of a pharmacy organization.	Higher professional education in the specialty "Pharmacy", preparation for an internship/residency in the specialty "Pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacognosy" without any work experience requirements. For the position of “Senior Pharmacist” - 5 years of experience.
Pharmaceutical technology (PT)	Pharmacist-technologist, Pharmacist, Senior pharmacist, Head (head) of a structural unit (department) of a pharmacy organization	Higher professional education in the specialty "Pharmacy", preparation for an internship/residency in the specialty "Pharmaceutical Technology", without requirements for work experience. For the position of "Senior Pharmacist" - 5 years of experience.
Pharmacy (pharmacist)	Pharmacist-technologist, Pharmacist	Higher professional education in the specialty "Pharmacy", a certificate of accreditation in the specialty "Pharmacy" without presentation of work experience
	Pharmacists who have had a break in their specialty for more than 5 years, and those who have changed the profile of their specialty requiring special training and qualifications, are appointed to the position of trainee pharmacist for the period of completion in the prescribed manner professional retraining. A trainee pharmacist can perform job responsibilities provided qualification characteristics pharmacist, only under the guidance of a pharmacist who has a certificate of a specialist in the relevant specialty, being equally responsible for his actions.

Qualifications: pharmacist

Speciality	Job title	Qualification requirements
Pharmacy (pharmacist)	Junior pharmacist	Secondary vocational education in the specialty "Pharmacy" without any work experience requirements.
	Pharmacist	Secondary vocational education in the specialty "Pharmacy" and a specialist certificate in the specialty "Pharmacy" without any work experience requirements.
	Senior pharmacist	Secondary vocational education (advanced level) in the specialty "Pharmacy" and a specialist certificate in the specialty "Pharmacy" without any work experience requirements.
	Director (manager, chief) of a pharmacy organization, Deputy director (manager, chief) of a pharmacy organization, Warehouse manager for the wholesale trade of medicines, Deputy warehouse manager for the organization of wholesale trade in medicines, Manager (chief)	Secondary vocational education in the specialty "Pharmacy" and a specialist certificate in the specialty "Pharmacy", work experience of at least five years.

Today the professional standards “Pharmacist”, “Pharmacist-analyst” and “Specialist in the field of pharmaceutical activity management” are in force. These standards specify labor functions, education, training and experience requirements practical work. Already have a project professional standard"Pharmacist", which has not yet been approved.

In addition, there is an order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated 10/07/2015 No. 700n “Nomenclature of Specialists” and an order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated 10/08/2015 No. 707n “On approval of qualification requirements for medical and pharmaceutical workers with higher education in the field of training “Health and Medical Sciences”. In these regulatory documents the requirements for the level of training and level are indicated additional education– professional retraining and advanced training courses.

A pharmacist can be a manager, but a manager without a certificate cannot be a pharmacist

According to the requirements of Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated October 8, 2015 No. 707n, pharmacists with certificates in the specialties “Pharmaceutical Technology” or “Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy” can occupy leadership positions.

In turn, not every manager can perform the functions of a pharmacist. To do this you need to have the appropriate vocational training and a certificate in Pharmaceutical Technology or Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy.

For violation of the rules in accordance with Part 4 of Article 14.1. Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, on individual An administrative fine will be imposed in the amount of 4,000 to 8,000 rubles or suspension of activities for up to 90 days. A fine of 5,000 to 10,000 rubles may be imposed on executive. Legal entities may be fined 100,000 - 200,000 rubles, or the organization faces suspension of activities for up to 90 days.

How to obtain a pharmacist certificate?

Here, the application of the order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation dated August 3, 2012 No. 66n “On approval of the procedure and timing for improving professional knowledge and skills by medical workers and pharmaceutical workers through training in additional professional fields” will come to the rescue educational programs in educational and scientific organizations."

Continuous experience plays a decisive role in obtaining the required certificate. professional activity in the newly acquired specialty. It all depends on how many years the farmer has worked. employee by specialty: more than 5 years of experience or less than 5 years. According to this, specialists have 3 options for obtaining a certificate:

First option:If an employee has 10 years or more experience in his specialty, he can take advanced training courses in any form of training with a load of 100 to 500 hours.

Second option:If a specialist has work experience from 5 to 10 years, then he must undergo professional retraining courses of over 500 hours.

Third option:If you do not have 5 years of experience, then only residency training is possible here. Regarding the direction “Management and Economics of Pharmacy”, there is no requirement for experience and, according to Order 707n, you can take retraining courses.

Pharmacist is a person with a high level of professionalism, a higher education diploma in pharmaceuticals, who is responsible for the storage, production and sale of medicines.

The main goal of a pharmacist’s work is to provide the population and various organizations medical preparations, high-quality, effective and safe medicines produced by pharmacy organizations.

Today, the concept of pharmacist combines a number of different specialties. Thus, the production of medicines falls on the shoulders of pharmacists-technologists, and it falls to pharmacists-analysts to monitor their quality.

However, these are not all areas of activity of workers in this field:

Hospital pharmacist – purchases medicines for hospitals, delivers to medical workers information about new drug arrivals and, together with the doctor, optimizes patient treatment.
A clinical pharmacist is a specialist who has comprehensive medical knowledge, guided by which he can advise people on taking medications purchased without a prescription.
Clinical Research Specialist – Performs clinical and preclinical drug testing as an assistant, implementing and planning drug trials in collaboration with a physician.
A pharmacist-laboratory assistant is a specialist in the field of clinical and biological scientific developments.
Medical pharmaceutical agent company - supplies medicines to pharmacies and hospitals of the company for which he works. Coordinates and organizes wholesale trade of these drugs, organizes conferences dedicated to these medications.

A pharmacist in an office is often required to process incoming information in Excel format and enter it into a database.

History of the profession

The history of the emergence of the pharmacist profession dates back to those times when people looked for all kinds of remedies to relieve pain or overcome an illness. This is how humanity began to master the science of medicines: produce them and put them into practice.

The doctors passed on their knowledge from generation to generation, keeping ancient recipes secret. There were not many such people, they were valued and respected in society. In those distant times, the functions of making medicines and treating ailments fell on the shoulders of one person.

Around the 13th century, changes occurred in the medical field. Doctors and pharmacists have divided their responsibilities, but today both still are respected.

Every year on the third of September, pharmacists accept congratulations, celebrating their professional holiday- Pharmacist's Day.

This date is also relevant for pharmacists and other people whose activities are related to the manufacture of drugs and their quality control.

Pros and cons of the pharmacist profession

For the most part, people who devote themselves to this profession are satisfied with their choice.

Pros:

an interesting, prestigious profession that brings good income;
the opportunity to help people, since the position of a pharmacist is socially oriented;
perspective career growth;
constant growth of knowledge in connection with the processing of a constant flow of fresh pharmaceutical information.

Disadvantages of being a pharmacist:

work up to 12 hours a day, and if necessary, you need to be on your feet all day;
responsibility for the life and health of people;
stress not only physical, but also psychological.

Requirements for the profession of a pharmacist

This field of activity imposes a number of conditions on the employee:

the specialist has a higher pharmaceutical education;
orientation in medicines at a professional level: knowledge of the name, composition, pharmacological action, methods and doses of various medicines;
documents on completion of regular advanced training courses;
knowledge of medicines.

Responsibilities of a pharmacist

The pharmacist performs the following tasks:

provides advice on the use, prescription, side effects, contraindications of medications and their interactions with other medications;
selects medications according to the diagnosis;
dispenses prescription medications;
compiles inventory of medicinal products, carries out orders, receipt and sale of goods;
generates and promptly submits reports on activities performed.

Responsibility of the pharmacist

The profession of a pharmacist does not allow mistakes in work. In the hands of these people is the responsibility for the life and health of pensioners, children and their parents, and in general all people in general.

Authority

A pharmacist can engage in independent pharmaceutical activities. The position of a pharmacist does not provide such rights.

Features of the profession

Pharmacology is a dynamic and rapidly developing science. The specifics of the work require regular updating of accumulated knowledge. Pharmacists not only advise clients and help them choose an effective medicine, but also monitor product inventories.

Professional skills and abilities of a pharmacist

All activities of people in this profession boil down to the following abilities:

the ability to correctly identify the buyer’s needs and give him competent advice;
provide the consumer with answers to questions in a concise and clear form regarding the principle of action of the medicinal product, the rules for its storage, expiration date and indicate the advantages when comparing similar drugs;
provide the buyer with reliable information regarding dosage, possible allergic reactions, methods of taking the drug;
having the skills to manage your emotions when working with clients;
the ability to listen carefully to the buyer so as not to miss details;
knowledge of the pharmacology of drugs, consultations on effective self-medication.

The pharmacist is obliged to provide pharmaceutical care to everyone who needs it, regardless of their financial status, gender, age, social status, nationality, political or religious views of a person. The pharmacist must respect each patient.

Personal qualities

A number of personal qualities of a pharmacist include:

sociability, politeness, friendliness;
attentiveness, efficiency, activity;
endurance and a sense of humor.

Rudeness and rudeness have no place in the work of a pharmacist.

Pharmacist career

The profession of a pharmacist is one of the most promising in terms of career growth. If we compare a pharmacist with a pharmacist, then the latter can find himself not only in the field of an analyst, but also a technologist. The pharmacist can climb up career ladder to the position of pharmacy manager or completely replace a pharmacist. There are cases that due to a lack of personnel, people without higher education special education received the position of pharmacy director.

The pharmaceutical business is structured in such a way that a couple of years after graduating from university there is an opportunity to establish yourself in the vacancy of deputy director large network pharmacies If you want, you can build a career quite quickly.

The profession of a pharmacist gives great start and the possibility of advancement through the career ladder.

Where can you get a job after becoming a pharmacist or pharmacist? The most obvious answer is a pharmacy or pharmaceutical company. Often, having eaten more than a pound of salt over the years of study, and having ground their teeth on the granite of science, graduates of pharmaceutical universities do not go to work in their specialty in accordance with their diploma. Or, after working for some time in a pharmacy as a pharmacist or at a pharmaceutical enterprise, they look for themselves in other areas. What are possible reasons the fact that pharmacists go to work outside their specialty, and where else can they apply their professional knowledge and skills? First of all, the identified questions come down to understanding whether the profession of a pharmacist/pharmacist is prestigious in Ukraine, whether it is well paid, and what are the development options for specialists who have received secondary specialized or higher pharmaceutical education. To understand this topic, the editors of APTEKA Weekly turned to Andrey Anuchin, director of the Pharma Personnel agency, which specializes in recruiting employees for the pharmaceutical business.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE A PHARMACIST?

According to A. Anuchin, today there is indeed a high turnover of personnel in pharmacies, and many young people, having received a pharmaceutical education, do not go to work as a pharmacist, but look for themselves in other areas. Why is this happening? One of the main reasons is low wage, of course, relative to the level of remuneration of specialists employed in other areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Thus, the salary of a first table pharmacist can vary from 2 to 6 thousand UAH. per month. Of course, a lot depends on the location of the outlet, turnover, number of visitors and buyers. In pharmacies with a favorable location and a wide range of products, front-line employees have the opportunity to receive higher wages compared to pharmacies located in less accessible places, especially in provincial towns and villages.

A similar situation is observed in pharmaceutical production. Ordinary positions filled by specialists with pharmaceutical education, as a rule, are also not highly paid relative to the level of remuneration of specialists with the same education working in other areas of the pharmaceutical business (for example, in the field of promotion).

Thus, the desire to increase the level of income may encourage the pharmacist to look for himself in related industries, where he can earn more. However, from the point of view of A. Anuchin, before making a decision to change profession, it is important to take into account a number of trends that can be traced in the pharmaceutical market, namely - active growth Ukrainian pharmaceutical market, as well as the development of pharmacy chains and enterprises for the production of pharmaceutical products.

ARGUMENTS FOR"

Firstly, the process of consolidation of the retail segment is underway. Many pharmacy chains are consolidating, opening new branches, buying up single outlets. There is a tendency to increase the level of remuneration of pharmacy employees. Thus, according to preliminary data from the Pharma Personnel agency, in 2016, on average in Ukraine in the pharmacy segment, wages (in hryvnia) increased by 15%. For comparison, wages for employees of pharmaceutical companies in hryvnia during this period increased by 11.5%. Thus, in the pharmacy segment, wages are rising faster. This may be due to the high turnover rate in this field. Therefore, managers or owners of pharmacy chains need to increase wages in order to retain and motivate their employees.

Secondly, Ukrainian manufacturers are actively developing. Crisis of 2014–2015 significantly influenced the market structure. Many imported drugs are tied to currency, so during the significant devaluation of the hryvnia, their prices increased significantly. This contributed to an increase in the share of consumption of more affordable domestic drugs. Thus, during the crisis, Ukrainian companies received some advantages to strengthen their positions in the market. Many of them have increased their capacity both in production and promotion. This, of course, requires personnel, and they are often lacking, especially when it comes to production staff. According to A. Anuchin, there is a large shortage of personnel in this area and, as expected, the level of wages will increase.

The expert also noted that Ukrainian pharmacists can be in great demand in neighboring countries. Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) are very promising in this regard, since they have a large shortage of personnel in the pharmacy segment due to the outflow of their own specialists to other countries. In addition, the European Parliament recently approved a visa-free regime for Ukraine, which means that fewer and fewer obstacles remain for Ukrainian specialists to go abroad.

So, before changing your field of activity, it is important to consider that:

the pharmaceutical market is actively growing, and specialists with pharmaceutical education are needed both in pharmacies and in pharmaceutical production;
There is a trend towards increasing wages both in the pharmacy segment and in the production of pharmaceutical products (this trend is expected to continue in the near future).

Of course, the decision to change the field of activity may be determined not only by material factors. Perhaps the young specialist received a diploma in pharmaceutical education, but the very essence of the work of an employee at the first desk or in the production of drugs was not to his liking. In this case, there are many opportunities where you can develop and apply your professional knowledge in other areas of the pharmaceutical industry.

WHERE ELSE CAN I APPLY A DIPLOMA OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION?

We are used to thinking that a pharmacist works in a pharmacy and in production. But there are other participants in the process of developing and marketing medicines, where specialists with pharmaceutical education are needed.

Thus, the life cycle of a drug begins at the research and development stage. Then comes production. But before it hits the shelves of pharmacies, it goes to distributors (warehouses), who distribute products purchased from manufacturers at retail, where it can be purchased by the end consumer. In addition, in the chain from production to purchase, the sales catalyst is the promotion service. It includes a marketing department that develops advertising messages, determines promotion channels, studies market demand, etc., as well as a sales service that conveys information about drugs, thereby stimulating the purchasing and sales process. Specialists with pharmaceutical education are in demand at each of these stages.

Let us consider in more detail such areas as research and development, distribution, and promotion of drugs from the point of view of employment prospects for a specialist with a pharmaceutical education.

… IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The clinical research market is separate sphere, which clinical specialists specialize in research organizations(Clinical Research Organizations - CRO). There are a large number (about 40) present in Ukraine international companies who are engaged in clinical research. One of the key specialties in a CRO is a Clinical Research Associate. He interacts with doctors who conduct research and controls the process of maintaining drug research protocols. In this position, specialists with pharmaceutical education use in great demand. Also, specialists with a pharmaceutical education can work in a CRO as a Clinical Trial Assistant. However, it is important to consider that one of the main conditions for working in these positions is knowledge of the English language, since by and large it is international work. When researching a particular drug, one specialist can supervise several clinics not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. In addition, research protocols are conducted on English language. This work also involves a lot of business travel - different countries, clinics, at conferences. At the same time, the work of clinical research specialists is highly paid - the average salary in the Ukrainian market is about 1.5 thousand dollars. US per month.

… IN THE DISTRIBUTION SEGMENT

There are many distributors in Ukraine, both large and small companies, where specialists with pharmaceutical education are also in demand. For example, in the position of sales manager. This work involves communicating with pharmacies, identifying client needs, stimulating and supporting purchases, monitoring delivery, etc. Sometimes it takes skills active sales. The more an employee knows about medicines, the more in demand he is. The salary in such a position is usually approximately 2 times higher than the salary of a pharmacist in a pharmacy.

…IN THE SPHERE OF PROMOTION

There is a huge layer of positions related to the promotion of medicines. Stimulating demand is a very important task, because if the market does not know about the drug - doctors, pharmacies, patients - it will remain in warehouses.

Many foreign and domestic pharmaceutical companies have their own sales service, which includes an external service (Sales Force) and a marketing department. Some companies provide outsourcing services for marketing drugs from international companies that do not have a representative office in Ukraine. According to the calculations of the Pharma Personnel company, there are about 200 promotional teams (outsourcing, domestic, foreign companies) working in Ukraine. Today there are about 10 thousand medical representatives working in Ukraine. About 7 thousand more people are back office employees: managers, administrative staff, accounting, lawyers, etc. That is, in total, about 17 thousand people are employed in the promotion sector.

Professional knowledge allows specialists with pharmaceutical education to work in external services. They are in great demand in this area, especially recently, since fewer and fewer doctors are seeking to work as medical representatives, which is associated with the development of private medicine. Prospects for professional growth, and, of course, the material component increase with obtaining a new position for more high level. So, if the average salary of a medical representative is about 13 thousand UAH. per month (minus taxes and contributions), then the salary regional manager- about 25 thousand UAH. It all depends on the desire to work (motivation), competencies (abilities) and performance (energy).

Thus, in the pharmaceutical business there are many alternative employment options for specialists with pharmaceutical education.

FINALLY

The demand for specialists with pharmaceutical education not only does not fade, but even increases, which is facilitated by the development of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market. In addition, there are so many different companies, employers, and positions in the pharmaceutical business that the opportunities for development and unlocking your potential are almost inexhaustible.

Over the years of work, the Pharma Personnel agency has accumulated many cases when, with a change in the field of activity and entry into new job V better side not only the financial condition of the applicant changes, but he also reveals a new side in new position or finds a job that suits him better (to his liking).

The pharmaceutical market is like a big anthill. At first glance, it seems that the movements of personnel are chaotic. But in fact, they fall into a hierarchical structure with a clear organization, business goals, and the concept of functionality in each position. From this point of view, the pharmaceutical market is very orderly.

He is also very competitive. There are a large number of players in each segment, where a well-structured marketing strategy, communications with the end consumer, price policy, compliance with quality standards at every stage life cycle medicine (production, distribution, storage). All these factors help eliminate unfair or unethical relationships in the market. From this point of view, professions related to the creation and sale of medicines serve a noble goal - the preservation and improvement of health.

Press service of “APTEKA Weekly”

Three pharmacists who left Russia to work abroad: to Germany, the USA and Israel, told how they managed to get a job in their specialty and what it cost them

In Russia, the profession of a pharmacist and pharmacist is one of the most needed, but, unfortunately, far from the most highly paid - unlike Western countries and America, where ordinary pharmacy employees feel confident and protected. The idea of earning more does not leave many of our compatriots. Poll "Katren-Style" among regular readers showed that 35% do not want to leave the country, 11% are already planning to move to work abroad, and 54% are not against moving, but do not believe in the success of this enterprise. We decided to find out what opportunities there are for those who received pharmaceutical education in Russia to settle abroad, and talked with three pharmacists who overcame geographical, linguistic and educational barriers and found work in their specialty in Germany, the USA and Israel.

German experience - working as a pharmacist in Germany

Our first interlocutor, Olga, happily agreed to give a short interview and tell us how difficult it is to become a pharmacist at a large Munich pharmacy.

KS: Olga, tell us about your Russian history: where did you study, live and why did you decide to try your luck in Germany?

Olga: I was born and raised in Moscow. In 2002 she graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the First Moscow Medical University named after Sechenov. She worked as a pharmacist for several years. And then my husband was invited to work in Germany, and I had no choice but to start packing my bags. We haven’t managed to make a lot of money yet, so getting ready didn’t take much time. It was much more difficult to deal with the document, language and other complexities.

KS: Tell us about the requirements for language proficiency. What difficulties did you have to face?

Olga: I can’t say that it was very difficult, but the path was not paved with roses and lilies. Both my husband and I had to learn the language at a very intensive pace, but, admittedly, I had the initial skills — I took German at school. As a healthcare worker, I had to pass the TELC (The European Language Certificates) exam for doctors and pharmacists. These are pan-European standards of ownership foreign language, opening doors to work in a foreign country. TELC has five levels, and my goal was the second most difficult level B2 in household German and the most difficult level C1 in specialized medical and pharmaceutical vocabulary. In just six months, spent clutching a German textbook, I was able to achieve my goal and begin the next stage of conquering Germany.

Olga: Yes, exactly. Fortunately, the diploma of my university is recognized in Germany (you can get such information on the Anabin website. However, the specialty of a pharmacist and doctor belongs to the list of “regulated” ones, that is, requiring additional confirmation of qualifications. This procedure is called the beautiful term “nostrification.” It means additional training and practice in one of the German pharmacies.

When we arrived in Munich — and it was here that employers were already waiting for my husband — I had to study at the University of Munich for four semesters and only then, after passing the exams, I received the honorary title of “pharmacist’s assistant.” Then followed a whole year of practice, albeit paid, and another important exam.

Only then did I become a full-fledged pharmacist who received a work permit in Germany.

KS: And what are your impressions of German pharmacies?

Olga: They are strikingly different from ours. It’s hard to even call it a business—more like a healthcare institution. The vast majority of drugs are dispensed by prescription, and the pharmacist’s task is to check that the documents comply with a whole list of requirements. We have to work closely with both doctors and visitors.

KS: Last question, Olga. Let me ask you how much your training cost and what is your current salary?

Olga: I had to pay a little more than 500 euros per semester, which is quite inexpensive by local standards. But my salary today is approximately 30,000 euros per year, and, by the way, this is far from the limit.

American dream

Tatiana in search better life went overseas. We talked with her and found out what it was like for her on a foreign continent with a domestic diploma.

KS: Tanya, start with where you studied and what prompted you to make a difficult decision.

Tatyana: In 2008, I graduated from the Pyatigorsk Pharmaceutical Academy and in 2009 I was a qualified young specialist who completed an internship. I was working as a pharmacist-technologist in a pharmacy when, in 2010, my husband and I had unprecedented luck - we won the Greencard lottery. Already in 2011 I had to face the most difficult American system evaluation of a diploma, that is, confirmation of compliance with a Russian (or any other foreign) vocational education standards existing in the USA.

KS: What is the difficulty of licensing foreign pharmacists in the United States?

Tatyana: I started by submitting all the documents, translated into English, to the pharmaceutical authorities of my state. Then I was awaited by the FPGEC (Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee) assessment exam - a special committee that tests the knowledge of pharmacists who have been educated in other countries. This is a pretty serious test, for which I have been preparing for a whole year. I had to re-study physiology, a lot of chemistry, drug technology and, of course, pharmacology. In addition, it was necessary to have a knowledge base about the US healthcare system, marketing, medical ethics, and so on.

KS: Was it difficult to restore such a volume of knowledge?

Tatiana: It’s not easy. I studied very well at the university, and still had to work hard, as they say. But the main thing is the result: I received 80 points with a passing score of 75. This exam opened the door for me to pass the next stage on the path to a license - internship. I completed it at a local pharmacy for 1,500 hours, which took another year.

KS: Well, is that all now?

Tatyana: No. There were two more exams ahead of me: the first was the MPJE, which assessed the level of my knowledge of jurisprudence in the field of medicine, and the second was the DSM. It included questions on the management of patients with the most common diseases, such as diabetes or hypertension. And yes, I forgot to mention the TOEFL language exam.

KS: Yes, it’s really not easy. How long did this procedure take you and, if possible, how much did it cost?

Tatyana: In total, it took 3 years. I already received a license in 2014. Since I didn’t have to finish my studies, the payment was meager—I spent a little over $1,000 on everything.

KS: And the last question: what are your current functions as a pharmacist and are you satisfied with your salary today?

Tatyana: A pharmacist in the USA is a person who supervises the work of technical workers filling out prescriptions and answers customer questions, including those related to drug compatibility, safety, and so on.

In addition, I fill out a request for medications and pack the pills into containers — they arrive in large packages. My current salary gives reason to believe that the agony of confirming my diploma was not in vain: I receive about $4,000 a month.

Promised land

And our last guest, Natalya, today works as a pharmacist in the Israeli city of Haifa. Natasha gladly agreed to talk about the path that she had to go through for the sake of a prestigious and well-paid job.

KS: Natasha, first tell us where you studied and lived in Russia.

Natalya: I am a native Petersburger. She graduated from one of the oldest pharmaceutical universities in the country, the St. Petersburg Chemical and Pharmaceutical Academy in 2009. The decision to move had been brewing for a long time — I have many relatives in Israel, and I had the right to repatriation. Therefore, after finishing my internship, I decided to immediately obtain a license through the MACA-TCB Pharmacists program.

KS: And what was included in it?

Natalya: As part of this program, I took a Hebrew course and preparation for the state exam. For 10 months I attended lectures given by teachers from Ben-Gurion University. In addition, the program included a 5-month internship in a pharmacy.

KS: How much did the training cost?

Natalya: $50 registration fee plus airfare from Russia. The MASA grant fully covers the cost of $10,000. The program provides students with accommodation, insurance, a scholarship, textbooks, and even provides many interesting excursions around the country!

KS: That's really cool! How was the exam itself?

Natalya: The exam consisted of 200 questions and several answers to each of them, among which you had to choose the correct one. There was little time - only 3 hours for everything, but I managed to cope.

KS: And the last question, Natasha. Do you like your new job?

Natalya: Of course. The work is intense and very interesting, despite the fact that most medications are dispensed by prescription.

In addition, the specialty of a pharmacist in Israel is prestigious and well paid - even a beginner specialist, like me, receives an average of 10 thousand shekels (about $2,600) per month.

Therefore, I don’t have to regret the choice I made when entering the pharmaceutical institute.

Top 5 countries with the highest salaries for pharmacy workers

(data from Pharmacy Times magazine, 2015)