Every job in the medical field is as important and as responsible as a doctor. Pharmacists do take a special part in the medical industry who basically undergo a rigorous education, training and take tests before becoming a complete pharmacists. They are typically a health care professional who fills up the prescriptions and educate the customers about it. RPh is the one requirement for the pharmacist’s job.

But what is RPh? – answer paragraph

RPh stands for Registered Pharmacist. It is a degree that is required to gain knowledge to become a pharmacist. RPh is basically a license to practice pharmacy.

RPh title:

RPh is all about practicing in the field of pharmacy. RPh title is a title that’s been awarded to pharmacists when they are been registered by national pharmacy council of one’s country. Also this title is valid and authentic. It is basically an evidence that their name and qualifications are now registered at national level. Also to note that when they hold this title they are not allowed to practice in any other country unless and until the person passes the exam of that country and gets registered as a pharmacist in the particular country. When the person holds this title then that particular person is allowed to practice only in one country.

Why is RPh title necessary?

One gets an RPh degree after a Pharm D degree. Pharm D is not the end in the pharmacy field. Therefore RPh title is essential to increase one’s worth. It is necessary to stabilize one’s Pharm D degree. There are lot of task that cannot be performed by Pharm d degree holders. Therefore it requires an RPh title to perform further operations.

Advantage of having RPh title:

By having an RPh title one can own a pharmacy by the help of license whereas unregistered pharmacists cannot own a pharmacy of his own. They can also apply foe government jobs. You have flexibility in making your own schedule and enjoying it. You have a substantial income on your hand.

Educational path:

To work as RPh it is necessary to complete a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy first which would take 4 years after which one should take an aptitude test for pharmacists based on score in college grades. Then, one can attend a Pharm.D program where one can get an RPh degree. RPh is a plus point for Pharm.D holders.

Duration:

This can take about   to 6 years to complete.

To be licensed to practice as a pharmacist and earn an RPh title, a Pharm.D. Degree is a prerequisite.

After bachelor’s degree of 4 years, one needs to take Pharm.D as a professional degree after which RPh is given as a licence to practice.

Steps involved to earn an RPh:

• Dual degree program:

Earn your bachelor’s degree alongside your doctor’s degree which make take up to six to seven years to complete.

• Doctorate only program:

Those who already have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or biology can take this course which takes up to three to four years to complete.

• Pass Admissions exams:

One have to take and pass all the admission exams that comprise of topics such as biological processes and quantitative reasoning. Passing scores are decided by individual schools.

• Find an Internship:

One has to complete internship in one’s own state according to state requirements as it may vary from one location to another location.

• Pass Licensing exams:

After the internship process the particular individual has to take two licensing exams ,North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and either the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) or a state equivalent.

• Register to practice:

Register to practice and earn your license according to your state guidelines as it may vary state to state.

Job opportunities:

Registered pharmacists work in

• Research labs.
• Clinics.
• Government and military facilities.
• Hospital and retail pharmacies.

Apart from these they can apply for government jobs like drug inspectors.

Job outlooks:

When it comes to pharmacist’s job, it is expected that there wouldn’t be a huge change happening up to 2028. Although demands are expectedly increasing that too in this pandemic period, they are projected to decline to about 3 % within 2029. However they are projected to increase in some health care. They are expected to have a great role in pharmacy operations rather than in drug stores.

What do they do?

They primarily focus on safety and effective use of medications. They administer vaccines. They have enduring compatibility with patients and try to do the level best for them. They are the ones who inform customers about the medicines. Dealing with lives is not an easy task, in that case medical industry insurance is a must. Pharmacists have the responsibility to work with insurance agencies and make sure that all the medicines the safe. Besides all these they also work and conduct pharmacy technicians. They check the prescriptions to avoid any allergies and negative effects. They also consult patients and by that ther aim to achieve

• Maximum benefit for medications.
• Educate the patients about the need for storing and using drugs.
• Minimize the side effects.

They are also well versed in conducting screenings.

Why to choose RPh as a career?

Being a pharmacist is equal to being a doctor and saving lives. They have powerful impact on patience medication and play an important role in positive health outcome of the patient. Also to note that they have a career that is stabile all the time and it’s also flexible. It also pays a way for a good and handful earning. It has a brighter further that too in US where American are living longer and population of patients increasing with age, there is a high demand for pharmacy services. With the degree of pharmacy and RPh one can start their own business and establish one’s own career and one can be their own boss without the need for working under someone. It is to be noted that they have a high growth potential that too where medications like biosimilars are becoming a huge part of pharmaceutical industry and they are highly flourishing as the demand increases.

Salaries:

RPh salary usually varies somewhere between as low as $54,072 and as high as $118,956. According to the percentile RPh salaries vary.

According to statistics in US a 10 percentile RPh salary is $124,417.

25 percentile RPh salary is $131,701.

50 percentile RPh salary is $139,701.

75 percentile RPh salary is $148,801.                                 

90 percentile RPh salary is $157,086 as per June 28, 2021.

Also to note the average salary for certified technician is $15 per hour and $35,000 per year whereas it is $57 per hour and $110,000 per year for a pharmacists who holds an RPh title.

Designations:

As it is clear that only after Pharma D degree one can earn an RPh title. Therefore the designations used by the pharmacists can either be simply PharmD or simply RPh or both. It solely depends on the person or the pharmacist’s preference.

Example:  

• Helen, RPh.
• Sandy, PharmaD.
• Milan, PharmaD, RPh.

Conclusion:

As there are more than enough things said up it, to sum up RPh is all about practicing while having a license in hand. It gives the student the knowledge base for becoming a pharmacist. RPh is more worthy and gives value to the Pharm.D degree and it will also open the door for new opportunities in hospital as well as clinical pharmacy. It also pays ways for switching career in another country by registering there. Therefore this makes the RPh title legal and more valuable.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ):

1. What does RPh stand for/mean?

The term RPh stands for registered pharmacist which is basically a license given to the pharamcy degree holder you practice pharmacy.

• Are pharm.D and RPh same?

No, Pharma D stand for doctor of pharmacy whereas RPh is registered pharmacist. Is it worth to note that Pharma D is a professional degree whereas RPh is a license to practice pharmacy and is not a degree.

     3. How much money does an RPh make?

An RPh salary usually vary between as low as $54,072 and as high as $118,956. Majority of the time the salaries ate based and percentile and it may vary accordingly.

4. Is RPh a doctor?

They are medical professionals who undergo various training to earn the doctor of pharmacy degree after which RPh is an additional license to practice pharmacy.

• Can RPh use “Dr” before their name?

Though there are a lot of ongoing debate about the use of “Dr” in front of the name by a pharmacist and after several judgements it is said that a Pharma D holder can use the term “Dr” before their name as Pharma D refers to doctor of pharamacy.

• How long does it take to hold an RPh degree in US?

It requires at least a two year pre professional course or an undergraduate course which is followed by a four year academic or a professional course.

• What qualifications are needed for an RPh?

To qualify as an RPh one needs a doctor of pharmacy degree also called Pharma D which is a professional degree after which the individual has to pass national as well as state board exams to get the license to practice pharmacy.