dontcallmesid asked
I have a question about the pharmacist profession. I'm currently in school to be a pharmacy technician and I’ll be done with school by this time next year. I was just wondering how long would I have to go to school if i wanted to become a pharmacist?
Answer
The length of time you go to school to become a pharmacist (in the United States) varies by the type of program you are accepted into. In general, the fastest you can go through school to become a pharmacist is 5 years, but most are 6 year programs. Even after becoming a licensed pharmacist, you have the option to participate in residency training, which can add 1-2 years in educational training.
We wrote an article discussing the various types of pharmacy programs, which can be found here: Can You Complete Pharmacy School in 5 Years? That article discusses the various programs, which include:
- 0-6 programs
- 4 year professional programs (completed after undergraduate work) and can include 'Early Assurance' programs
- 2-3 (Pre-professional) Accelerated Programs
We have also written articles that go into more detail about how to become a pharmacist and the difference between hospital and retail pharmacy.
