Did you know that there are more pharmacy jobs than working in a retail pharmacy? There are so many options and specialties that pharmacists can choose from. The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) recognizes over 62,250 pharmacist certifications across 15 different specialties. These specialties include ambulatory care, cardiology, compound sterile preparations, critical care, emergency medicine, geriatric, infectious diseases, nuclear, nutrition support, oncology, pain management, pediatric, pharmacotherapy, psychiatric, and solid organ transplant. Pharmacists can specialize in these specialties to offer very specific care to patients and support to medical teams.

Ambulatory care pharmacists focus on providing medically advanced care to ambulatory patients. They treat patients outside of a hospital setting and often work with a medical team to provide care like in a health clinic or community pharmacy. They manage patients' medications, monitor medication safety, and make medication recommendations to patients.

Cardiology pharmacists specialize in working with patients with cardiovascular disease. They ensure and monitor the medications a patient is taking to treat heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions. They focus directly on how medications can support patients struggling with heart conditions. 

Compound sterile preparations pharmacists specialize in preparing medications in sterile environments. There are many medications that must be created in an extremely careful manner, and these pharmacists create medications in very precise measurements and in a sterile environment that eliminates the opportunity for contamination. 

Critical care pharmacists modify and monitor medications given to critically ill patients. They often offer specialized care for patients that have very specific needs with the goal to improve patient outcomes. They often work with a team of specialists in intensive care units. 

Emergency medicine pharmacists generally work in emergency departments to give quick and accessible care to people in immediate need. They work with other healthcare professionals to provide quick and accurate care. 

Geriatric pharmacists focus on medication therapy and treatments for older patients. Getting old is tough and can come with many health issues all at the same time. These pharmacists specialize in special care for older patients and the difficulties they may face. 

Infectious disease pharmacists focus on preventing, identifying, and treating infectious diseases. They often work with a team of microbiologists to optimize antibiotic use and to monitor patient response to medication therapy. 

Nuclear pharmacists specialize in the preparation and usage of radiopharmaceuticals to treat patients. They safely create radioactive medications that can be used for molecular imaging and therapy. Radiopharmaceuticals can be used to treat cancer and to show organ functionality as well. 

Nutrition support pharmacists specialize in identifying and treating nutritional deficiencies. They design and modify nutritional plans to help patients live healthier lives and give support to the body. They often work directly with patients to provide recommendations and support to the patient.

Oncology pharmacists specialize in the treatment of cancer patients. They manage and monitor nonradioactive medicine that the patient takes to optimize the patient's treatment plan. These pharmacists also collaborate with many other health care providers to ensure the best outcome for each patient. 

Pain management pharmacists work with health teams to create pain management plans for patients struggling with a wide variety of sources of pain. They monitor and adapt plans to best support patients based on their patients' pain level and needs. 

Pediatric pharmacists specialize in changing dosage and treatment plans for children. They often factor age, weight, and other factors into treatment plans to optimize results for their patients. They are important personnel to have on health care teams to provide and adjust to younger patients. 

Pharmacotherapy pharmacists focus on the effective use of medications for patients. They work directly with patients to create, organize, and manage patient medication plans. They often work in clinics on healthcare teams to optimize medication therapy plans to their full potential. 

Psychiatric pharmacists specialize in the medication treatment for patients with mental illnesses. They optimize pharmacotherapeutic plans to support and reduce the effects of neurological disorders. 

Solid Organ Transplant pharmacists support people who donate, receive or are candidates for organ transplants. This is a very specific field that looks over the medication therapy for these patients. 

Pharmacy specialties are so important to the medical world. These specialties are used every day to maximize the benefit of medication and treatment plans. Pharmacists are very needed in the world today. ISU offers pharmacy and pharmacy tech programs. If this has piqued your interest, check them out!

Pharmacy Program

Pharmacy Tech Program

Works Cited

BPS Specialties. Board of Pharmacy Specialties, https://bpsweb.org/bps-specialties/

Taking place on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place on the 20th of this year. As we reflect on his life and work, we must recognize his profound impact on the fight for racial equality and social justice. 

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