Becoming a Pharmacist in Mississippi
The pharmacy profession requires precision, attention to detail, and an extensive dedication to training. The average pharmacist in Mississippi spends at least 4 years in school to acquire the postgraduate professional degree known as the Doctor of Pharmacy or PharmD from an accredited program.
In Mississippi, only about 10% of the entire 2,961,536 population are accredited and practicing pharmacists that cater to the entire population. The low pharmacists-to-patient ratio indicates that Mississippi requires more pharmacists, and this can be a great opportunity for you if you’re searching for a profession with opportunities.
The pharmacy profession, however, requires specialized training and licensing, especially for the PharmD degree. Nonetheless, completing the degree and other requirements will open you up to an interesting and fulfilling career path.
Average Pharmacist Salary in Mississippi
The average mean salary of a pharmacist in Mississippi is $119,250, which is slightly below the national average of $128,570. However, if you consider that Mississippi’s cost of living is 18.9% lower than the average state in the US., Mississippi can be a great place to kick start your pharmacy profession.
Mississippi Requirements for Pharmacists
The Mississippi Board of Pharmacy is the body in charge of regulating and controlling the practice of pharmacy and the distribution of prescription drugs and devices in Mississippi. The board prescribes that all prospective candidates have to first go through Pharmacy school, take the licensure exam and pass to be eligible for licensing in the state. Subsequently, the Board will approve the candidate and give the license.
Another option for getting licensed in Mississippi as a pharmacist is to apply for licensure by reciprocity, which allows you to practice as a pharmacist in Mississippi through a board-approved license from another state or jurisdiction.
Becoming a Pharmacist in Mississippi
The Mississippi Board of Pharmacy also has some requirements that must be fulfilled before an application for a pharmacy license can be granted. These requirements include;
- Two exams must be written and passed. The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE), which focuses on pharmacy law. The North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX), which tests the knowledge and skills of the students.
- Proof of work experience.
- Filling out the required application.
- Paying the required fees.
Transferring Your License to Mississippi from another State
If you’re already licensed as a pharmacist in another state approved by the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, you have an opportunity of transferring your license through reciprocity to enable you to practice in Mississippi. The requirements for this include;
- Passing the MPJE and NAPLEX exams,
- Taking the Mississippi state examination,
- Preventing proof of a total practical experience in pharmacy for at least 1,500 hours,
- Submitting a verification form that shows the licensing authority you received your existing license.
Additional requirements include;
- Passing theTest of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) for foreign graduates and non-US citizens who intend to transfer to Mississippi.
Schools That Offer PharmD in Mississippi
When it comes to accredited pharmacy schools in the state, Mississippi has one school at its forefront. The University of Mississippi is one of the renowned institutions in the world that offers a pharmacy program in one of its schools. This public institution was founded in 1848, however, its Pharmacy College only came sixty years later.
The University of Mississippi – Jackson, Mississippi
The University of Mississippi – Jackson, Mississippi makes provision for both in-state and international students, so much so that it has international students coming from over seventy different countries through the years.
When the Pharmacy school was founded, it became the first pharmacy school in Mississippi. Over a hundred and ten years now, it’s still one of the most recognized pharmacy schools in the world, with numerous awards and accolades to its name. It’s also important to point out that it’s a fully-accredited school. Located on one of the most beautiful university grounds in the U.S., the University of Mississippi leads the forefront of health care education, encouraging its students to transform the care for patients in the state and beyond.
The school consists of four departments: Pharmacy Administration, BioMolecular Sciences, Pharmacy Practice – and a Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Popularly referred to as Ole Miss Pharmacy, the school presents a unique atmosphere for support and fellowship for its students, while combining it with exceptional classroom, lab, and practice experiences. All of these prepare you for the essential work of a pharmacist.
The School of Pharmacy at the University of Mississippi offers the PharmD degree at an entry-level for students. At Ole Miss Pharmacy, the application deadline each year is February 1 for the fall program, while that of the spring program is October 1. For the offerings that the school has, you may require the financial aid that the school provides for its student population to pay for the tuition.
The tuition of resident and non-resident students is based on the average number of hours spent by the students in that enrollment category. To get the exact “per-hour” rates, you’ll need to analyze the bursar’s website.
If the University of Mississippi’s pharmacy school seems like a great option for you to kick start your pharmacy career, apply here.
Schools That Offer Online PharmD Programs
Online degrees are available for people who have different limitations to attending and obtaining a degree from an on-site school. There are online schools that offer the same quality of education that physical schools offer. If you can’t attend an on-site school for reasons such as convenience, personal preference, or schedule, the online school can be a great option for you.
There are a number of options that are available to you, some of the best options for you in Mississippi are;
St. John Fisher College
The John Fisher College offers a premium education with an emphasis on individualized attention practice-oriented instruction and the flexibility to accommodate your busy schedule. The program comprises 11 clinical rotations totaling 2,000 hours and 151 credits.
St. John Fisher College understands the need for attention to detail for its students, and as a result, keeps the classes small to ensure that all the students have access to a personalized and one-on-one style of learning. They churn out graduates that consistently outdo their peers in licensing examinations and residency placements.
Based in Rochester, New York, St. John Fisher College through its Wegmans School of Pharmacy churns out graduates that consistently outdo their peers in licensing examinations and residency placements. They particularly recorded a 100% employment rate in their 2020 graduating class.
The tuition at St. John Fisher College totals a sum of $181,337 for the online program, and you may require the financial aid that’s available to qualified students. However, this online college is specific about the fulfillment of its admission requirements, so to ensure that you qualify for its online program, ensure that you pay attention to them.
If St. John Fisher College sounds like an ideal school for your online pharmacy degree, check here for the admission requirements and other necessary information.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) offers an online Doctor of Pharmacy degree for students with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy who intend to be U.S.-licensed practicing pharmacists.
The session at MCPHS begins every fall with a mandatory in-person orientation program in August. It offers a part-time program that requires a total of 37 semester hours over two years and ends with a four-week clinical rotation.
The Blackboard platform allows the school to experiment with the students’ work requirements while hosting all its online classes. The PioneerRX pharmacy software that the school also uses provides hands-on simulations and examples like it would in real-world scenarios. MCPHS’s online tuition is around $20,790 which is significantly lower than that of the on-site students. As a part of its student-support scheme, the school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and it allows veterans to succeed in their different college careers.
Applications are completed on the school’s website and a dedicated graduate admission unit is available to guide applicants through the process. Admitted students also have access to the school’s Center for Academic Success and Enrichment during the program and the Center for Professional Career Development after their program to guide them to a successful pharmacy profession.
Consider the option that MCPH offers you if the online learning option is appealing to you.
Starting Your Career as a Pharmacist in Mississippi
To become a licensed pharmacist in Mississippi, you need to earn a PharmD degree. You don’t only earn a degree, it opens you up to a wealth of knowledge about diseases, anatomy, and the several ways through which pharmaceutical medicines can work together with the human body.
Some pharmacists choose to earn their degrees through online PharmD programs, and it opens you up to equal opportunities as you’ll get with a doctorate from an onsite school. Make the choice today to pursue a distinctive, rewarding and flexible career path.