School of Pharmacy
The University of Mississippi

Careers in Pharmacy

care

If you are a highly motivated student with a strong interest in science and are committed to improving the health of those around you, then becoming a pharmacist or working in the pharmaceutical or health care industries may be the right prescription for your future.

Pharmacists practice in a variety of health settings and have various roles. There are hundreds of different positions for pharmacists. While many pharmacists choose to practice in independent, chain, or supermarket pharmacies, others practice in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health care organizations, and even veterinary clinics. They may specialize in ambulatory care, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiology, infectious disease, oncology, emergency medicine, or other specialty. Pharmacists also pursue careers in the pharmaceutical industry, in departments of health, in government agencies, in managed care organizations, and in academia.  

Average annual starting salaries of our recent graduates range from $105,000 to $122,000, depending upon where they practice. Few degrees match a pharmacy degree’s versatility, value and return on investment.

All of our academic degree programs – bachelor’s, master’s, Pharm.D. and Ph.D. – foster mastery of the practical and theoretical knowledge and analytical, communications and teamwork skills needed in today’s rapidly changing health care environment. Because of this balance of knowledge and skills, our graduates are leaders and managers in biomedical research companies, hospitals, government agencies, universities, trade organizations, Fortune 500 companies and every imaginable pharmacy practice setting.

Our cutting-edge classes and degree programs will prepare you for a richly rewarding career or for a residency, fellowship or graduate study in many fields and recommend you to potential employers.

While the majority of pharmacists work in community pharmacies, there is an unprecedented demand for pharmacists in a wide variety of occupational settings.

The many career options for a licensed pharmacists include:

  • Academic Pharmacygraduate
  • Ambulatory Care Pharmacist
  • Consultant Pharmacy
  • Federal Pharmacy – Armed Services
  • Federal Pharmacy – Public Health
  • Hospital and Institutional Pharmacy
  • Informatics
  • Managed Care Pharmacy
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences/Industry
  • Community Pharmacy 
  • Telehealth 
  • Long-term Care Pharmacy 
  • Government Agencies  
  • Public Health-State Departments of Health  
  • Population Health  

For more information on these pharmacy careers, visit Pharmacy is Right for Me.