Learn as much as you can about patient care. Try to get an internship at a pharmacy or doctor's office. As a pharmacist, you will be required to advice patients on their diet, exercise, and disease management. So, there is a lot you can do to learn about the job before you earn your pharmacist degree.
Start taking college courses. You will have to complete at least two years of college before you can be accepted into a pharmacy program. Take courses such as biology, social sciences, chemistry, physics, and math.
Find a good pharmacy program. The one you choose must have the accreditation of the Accreditation for Pharmacy Education. For information on good pharmacy programs, contact the American Pharmacists Association, or the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. You will most likely be required to take an entrance exam. Pharmacy programs generally last four years. Upon graduation, you will receive a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, which is also known as a Pharm. D.
Get the necessary licensing. After you earn your pharmacy degree, you'll have to become licensed, if you plan on working as a pharmacist in the United States. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy is the governing body that administers the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam. The majority of states also require pharmacy grads to pass an exam to test their knowledge of pharmacy law. This exam is known as the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam.