Pharmacist career roles: find which suits you best

Types of pharmacists

1. Community pharmacists
   Community pharmacists are typically found in retail settings, working directly with patients to dispense medication and offer advice on prescriptions. As one of the most accessible healthcare providers, you’ll develop strong patient communication skills and play a vital role in local health care.
2. Hospital pharmacists
   Hospital pharmacists work within clinical settings, contributing to patient treatment plans by collaborating with doctors and nurses. They ensure medications are correctly administered and adjusted according to each patient’s needs. If you’re interested in a more clinical role that directly impacts patient care, this could be the perfect fit. 
3. Clinical pharmacists
   Clinical pharmacists specialise in working closely with healthcare teams to optimise patient treatment plans, particularly for those with complex medical conditions. This role requires advanced clinical knowledge and may require further qualifications beyond a pharmacy degree.
4. Industrial pharmacists
   Industrial pharmacists work in research, drug development, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. They play a key role in advancing medicine, helping to develop and test new drugs that will benefit patients. If you're interested in research and development (R&D), this role offers exciting opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. 
5. Locum pharmacists
   Locum pharmacists provide temporary cover in various pharmacy settings. This flexible career path is ideal for those seeking varied work environments, whether in community pharmacies, hospitals, or even abroad. Locum roles allow you to choose when and where you work, making it a great option if you value flexibility.
6. Primary Care Network (PCN) pharmacists
   PCN pharmacists work within multi-disciplinary teams with a group of general practices to support patients with long-term conditions, to optimise use of medications. This role will suit you if you want to improve patient care through collaborative, community-focused healthcare while advancing clinical skills.

Pharmacist career roles compared

Pharmacy graduate stories 

Shirin Alwash 

Shirin is an MPharm graduate from the University of Brighton.

"My current role at Paydens Pharmacies is Training and Development Manager, which means I oversee the foundation year programme for the trainee pharmacists and the training and development of pharmacists. I am proud to be managing this programme for the pharmacy students who have just completed their degrees and it’s a role I had worked towards for years! 

When starting my role, I reflected on my own experience and realised how important it was to make work experience more accessible to students and hence created several programmes and partnerships with universities to allow students this opportunity at Paydens Pharmacies. Many of whom decide to stay on with us and are now fully fledged and competent pharmacists. Seeing this journey through makes all the long days worthwhile! 

Brighton is vibrant, multicultural, and inclusive, both as a university and a city. Meeting different cultures at university fosters diversity, enriches perspectives and promotes understanding of different personalities/cultures which I think is really important for preparing us to enhance our communication and collaboration skills.

I am now also starting the independent prescribing course which is a postgraduate certification which will allow me to prescribe medicines where appropriate. Soon, all pharmacists graduating will have the qualification so any pharmacists currently registered can do the additional eight-month course to keep upskilled.”

Polyxeni Tsea 

Polyxeni is an MPharm alumna from the University of Brighton.

“Through my Pharmacy degree, I developed valuable professional skills needed for my current role in the pharmaceutical industry field. As a student coming to Brighton from another country (Greece), I also learned to be independent and adapt to new and challenging environments, which has been definitely useful in my next steps after graduating.

Since graduating my biggest achievement, has been landing my dream job within the pharmaceutical industry and being able to contribute towards the global supply and availability of medicines.

Relationship building is key not only for work, but also life in general. This allows for personal and professional growth, acquirement of new knowledge, and great opportunities to connect with people. At Brighton, there are so many opportunities to build strong relationships with people from different backgrounds, through University courses, clubs and activities, halls of residence, and so much more.

Role within the pharmaceutical industry

In my role as a Regulatory Affairs Senior Officer I am responsible for preparing medicine dossiers for granting and maintaining Marketing Authorisation Licenses across global Authorities (i.e. EU, Canada, Asia, Africa, etc). During the last 6 months, I am really happy to say I have progressed into a more senior role and further develop my skills in a field that I am passionate about.”

Education and qualifications

Here are the qualifications and work experience you need to become a pharmacist in the UK:

• Pharmacy degree: You'll need to successfully complete a pharmacy degree accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), such as an MPharm.

• Once you have achieved the required degree you need to complete a foundation training placement. As a trainee you will spend a year at an approved site, guided by a GPhC-approved supervisor, after which you'll need to be passed as competent.

• Work experience: Placements and internships are crucial for gaining practical experience during your studies, and help you determine which role suits you most.

• Postgraduate qualifications: Some roles may require further study, including postgraduate qualifications in clinical pharmacy, or you may want to continue your studies to specialise in areas such as Precision Medicine (Cancer). 

• Work experience: Placements and internships are crucial for gaining practical experience during your studies, helping you determine which role best suits you. 

• Independent prescribing: MPharm degrees in the UK have been revised so that by 2026 all newly registered pharmacists will be able to independently prescribe medicines.

If you are exploring a career as a pharmacist in the UK but have a qualification from outside the European Economic Area EEA, you'll need to gain Overseas Pharmacist's Programme (OSPAP) qualification.

You could also explore the differences between pharmacy and pharmacology to find which subject and course aligns best with your career ambitions.

Future of pharmacy careers

Prescribing skills training

During his visit to the University of Brighton, David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, highlighted the profession’s exciting transformation.

He shared with students that advancements like incorporating prescribing skills training into the undergraduate MPharm degree are reshaping the role of pharmacists in primary healthcare. From 2026, all newly qualified pharmacists will take on the critical responsibility of being independent prescribers.

He described the development of independent prescribing as part of initial education and training of pharmacists as:

“a game changer for pharmacy professional practice, medicines optimisation and patient care, with approximately 2,800 newly-registered pharmacist independent prescribers due to join the workforce every year.

This will be transformational for all pharmacy settings, creating improved access and quality of care for patients and the potential to improve medicines use including stopping medicines where appropriate. The new initial education and training standards for pharmacists create a more flexible workforce with skills that are equally applicable in all pharmacy settings, enabling multi-professional clinical teams to work in new ways.”

Frequently asked questions