Pharmacist in 754: Baghdad opens the first drug shops

This page follows the trade from the Nippur tablet and Dioscorides' De Materia Medica through the apothecary guilds, the alkaloid century and the rise of the pharmaceutical industry, to a present in which robots count the pills and the pharmacist's real work is judgment: catching the fatal interaction, questioning the wrong dose, and — since COVID-19 — vaccinating a meaningful share of the world.

Do you need a doctorate to become a pharmacist? Only in some countries. The United States requires a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), the sole entry degree there since the early 2000s. The United Kingdom uses a four-year MPharm master's degree plus a foundation training year; much of Europe, Asia and Africa uses a four- to six-year bachelor's or master's in pharmacy. Every route ends in a national licensing examination and registration.

How long does it take to become a pharmacist? Roughly six to eight years after secondary school in most systems. A US student typically completes two to four years of pre-pharmacy coursework, four years of PharmD study, and around 1,500 supervised intern hours. A UK student completes a four-year MPharm and a paid foundation year. Optional hospital residencies or specializations add one to two years on top.