What do pharmacists do?

Pharmacists ensure patients get the right medications in the correct doses, keep track of all medications patients take to prevent harmful interactions and offer advice to physicians and patients to help manage their medication therapies. Pharmacists also have the authority and ability to administer immunizations and help patients manage chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Where do pharmacists work?

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.  

Want to learn more about pharmacy careers? Visit the Pharmacy is Right for Me webpage.

How much money do pharmacists make?

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.

How does one become a pharmacist?

To become a pharmacist, one must earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and pass the national licensure exam. Earning a Pharm.D. from the University of Mississippi requires seven years of collegiate study, including three years of pre-pharmacy courses and four years of professional pharmacy course work.

Why Ole Miss Pharmacy?

Why is UM the right prescription for my child’s future?

Our degree programs 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.

Impeccable credentials

Our curriculum provides ample opportunities to assess and counsel patients, monitor their drug therapies and dispense their medications. As a result, our students’ pass rate on the national licensure exam has matched or been higher than the national average. This makes our graduates highly sought after and their credentials impeccable.

Highly affordable

With Ole Miss tuition among the nation’s lowest and many of our programs among the nation’s finest (e.g., Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College), our students often say Ole Miss provides a private education at a public school price.

Prolific scholarships

UM pharmacy students who maintain a 3.5 grade-point average receive scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per year. Additional scholarships are awarded to students who earn 4.0 GPAs. The scholarships, which increase as students progress through the curriculum, reward academic performance and are entitlements for which students need not apply.

Safest campus

Our Oxford campus is the second safest in the SEC and among the top 20 safest campuses in the nation.

Outstanding faculty

Our energetic and talented research and teaching faculty members successfully secure extramural funding for their internationally competitive research, enabling them to share emerging scholarship with students in state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories.

Special places

Oxford Campus—Pre-pharmacy and pharmacy students take classes on UM’s main campus in Oxford, one of the best college towns in America. Our students enjoy such activities as shopping and fine dining on the historic Oxford Square, visiting William Faulkner’s home Rowan Oak and fishing, camping and kayaking on Sardis Lake.

Jackson Campus—Students in the third professional year move to UM’s Medical Center in Jackson for active learning and practice experiences. Jackson is the center of the state’s bustling medical enterprise and provides numerous opportunities for students to begin their career-long interaction with physicians, nurses and other health professionals.

Superb clinical training

Our students practice what they learn in their classrooms and laboratories by working with patients under the supervision of a faculty member or licensed pharmacist. During these practical experiences, students apply their therapeutic knowledge and hone their skills in ambulatory care, cardiology, critical care, internal medicine, nutrition support, oncology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and other specialties.

Nurturing mentors and preceptors

In addition to its 100 full-time teaching and research faculty, the School of Pharmacy has more than 350 pharmacists serving as preceptors at 160 sites in Mississippi and the Mid-South. These preceptors acquaint our students with patient care in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings during their professional rotations. These firsthand experiences prepare our students to practice wherever they choose.

Friends for life

With enrollment limited to 115 students in each year of our professional program, opportunities abound for developing personal and professional friendships with faculty, preceptors, staff and other students. Many of those friendships will last a lifetime.

Strong alumni network

In addition to its faculty, administrators and preceptors, our school’s alumni take pride in supporting and mentoring our students. They know the value of a pharmacy degree and want to share their experience. We boast alumni in 49 states and in various leadership roles in all sectors of health care, which provides our students with a strong network for career development support.  

Big university benefits

Ranked the No. 1 college town by ESPN, student life is vibrant and students get to experience a wide-range of activities. There are sporting events, theater performances, e-sports, intramurals, student government programming, and a host of other events. A highlight during the fall is the Oxford campus transforming into an unforgettable celebration on football game weekends. 

Remarkable involvement

UM’s more than 200 student organizations provide ample opportunities for your child to get involved in philanthropic, recreational and professional activities and develop leadership, communications and teamwork skills.

Accreditation

The University of Mississippi is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and its Doctor of Pharmacy program was reaccredited in 2020 for the maximum eight years by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Campus visits

The best way to find out what the UM School of Pharmacy has to offer is to visit our campus. To schedule your visit to experience Ole Miss firsthand, please call the admissions office at 662-915-7226 anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or go to admissions.olemiss.edu/visit. We would be happy to personally show you why the UM School of Pharmacy is the right prescription for your child’s future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Admissions Offices