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Clinical Pharmacist, Druggist, Pharmaceutical Chemist, Registered Pharmacist
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Pharmacists help individuals treat or prevent disease or maintain their health. They work to establish relationships with the patients to whom they provide services. They act in the best interests of the patient. Pharmacists assess individuals’ health and drug therapy needs by considering different factors including their:
They also apply their knowledge in:
Pharmacists in community and hospital settings:
Smaller pharmacy teams may not have a pharmacy technician. In these situations, the pharmacist will also perform the duties of the pharmacy technician.
Pharmacists in community settings also:
Pharmacists in hospital settings work on interdisciplinary teams to provide patient care. They can also build a practice in fields such as:
Pharmacists in industrial and educational settings may:
Pharmacists may work alone or team up with others in the field. These can include:
In community and hospital settings, pharmacists often work rotating shifts that include evenings, nights, and holidays.
In most situations, pharmacists are on their feet for long periods.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in precision working to dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to customers and other health care professionals, and to ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biological and other drugs and pharmaceuticals; and in ordering and maintaining stock of pharmaceutical supplies
Interest in synthesizing pharmaceutical products; and in advising customers and health care professionals on indications, contra-indications, adverse effects, drugs interactions and dosage
Interest in instructing and advising customers on the selection and use of non-prescription medications; may supervise and co-ordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and other staff
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Pharmacists need:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 58 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Nov 19, 2021 and Nov 29, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Compound prescribed pharmaceutical products by calculating, measuring and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity | 32 |
|---|---|
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 28 |
| Certificates, Licences, Memberships, and Courses : Licensure by provincial or territorial authorities | 28 |
| Tasks: Ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biologicals and other drugs and pharmaceuticals | 28 |
| Tasks: Check prescriptions for proper dosage | 28 |
| Tasks: Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs | 27 |
| Health benefits: Dental plan | 26 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 25 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 25 |
| Construction Specialization: Reliability | 24 |
The minimum academic requirement is a doctor of pharmacy degree (PharmD).
Pharmacists in hospital settings need to complete a residency.
Further training or experience is required to gain authorization from the Alberta College of Pharmacy to perform certain restricted activities. These include administering drugs by injection and additional prescribing authority.
Pharmacists also need to stay up to date on current best practices in drug therapy and the latest advances in pharmaceutical sciences.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Pharmacists are health-care professionals who provide services designed to promote health and well-being for individuals and communities. They treat disease and other disorders through drug therapy, wellness promotion, and disease state management. They help patients manage their medications.
Under Alberta’s Health Professions Act [pdf], Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation [pdf], and the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Profession Regulation [pdf], registration with the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) is mandatory. Only regulated members may provide restricted activities specified in the Regulations. This includes those who:
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Pharmacist.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Pharmacists work in:
Pharmacists in community and hospital settings usually start as salaried employees. Those in retail stores may start as hourly employees. With experience, they can take on managerial roles, enter a partnership, or open their own pharmacy. Teaching and research positions generally require further education.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Pharmacists
2016 NOC: 3131
75.8% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years. In addition, the number of pharmacies opening in Alberta is increasing at a higher rate per capita than the number of new pharmacists. This has resulted in a shortage of pharmacists (Source: ACP, 2022-23 Annual Report).
For information about current collective agreements in the public and not-for-profit sectors, see the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $43.27 | $52.44 | $49.29 | $50.00 |
| Overall | $45.30 | $58.65 | $53.18 | $55.25 |
| Top | $47.00 | $61.28 | $55.77 | $60.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $86,047 |
|---|---|
| Retail Trade | $86,928 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $84,677 |
| Public Administration | $106,329 |
Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) website: abpharmacy.ca
ACP’s Understanding Professionalism website: understandingprofessionalism.com
Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA) website: rxa.ca
Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) website: ccapp.ca
Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: hsaa.ca
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) website: pebc.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2024. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
