pharmacy pharmacy pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. it is a miscellaneous science as it links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences. the professional practice is becoming more clinically oriented as most of the drugs are now manufactured by pharmaceutical industries. based on the setting, pharmacy practice is either classified as community or institutional pharmacy. providing direct patient care in the community of institutional pharmacies is considered clinical pharmacy. this article is about the profession. for retail pharmacies, see pharmacy (shop). for other uses, see pharmacy (disambiguation). pharmacyoccupationnamespharmacist, chemist, doctor of pharmacy, druggist, apothecary or simply doctoroccupation typeprofessionalactivity sectorshealth care, health sciences, chemical sciencesdescriptioneducation requireddoctor of pharmacy, master of pharmacy, bachelor of pharmacy, diploma in pharmacyrelated jobsphysician, pharmacy technician, toxicologist, chemist, pharmacy assistant, other medical specialists the green pharmacy cross (sometimes overlaid with bowl of hygieia), is widely used in europe and india on pharmacy signs. a medication is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. the apothecary or the chemist by gabriël metsu (c. 1651–67) the scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing of medications. it also includes more modern services related to health care including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. pharmacists, therefore, are experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize the use of medication for the benefit of the patients. an establishment in which pharmacy (in the first sense) is practiced is called a pharmacy (this term is more common in the united states) or chemists (which is more common in great britain, though pharmacy is also used) . in the united states and canada, drugstores commonly sell medicines, as well as miscellaneous items such as confectionery, cosmetics, office supplies, toys, hair care products and magazines, and occasionally refreshments and groceries. in its investigation of herbal and chemical ingredients, the work of the apothecary may be regarded as a precursor of the modern sciences of chemistry and pharmacology, prior to the formulation of the scientific method. disciplines pharmacy, tacuinum sanitatis casanatensis (14th century) the field of pharmacy can generally be divided into three primary disciplines: pharmaceutics pharmacokinetics medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy pharmacy practice the boundaries between these disciplines and with other sciences, such as biochemistry, are not always clear-cut. often, collaborative teams from various disciplines (pharmacists and other scientists) work together toward the introduction of new therapeutics and methods for patient care. however, pharmacy is not a basic or biomedical science in its typical form. medicinal chemistry is also a distinct branch of synthetic chemistry combining pharmacology, organic chemistry, and chemical biology. pharmacology is sometimes considered the fourth discipline of pharmacy. although pharmacology is essential to the study of pharmacy, it is not specific to pharmacy. both disciplines are distinct. those who wish to practice both pharmacy (patient-oriented) and pharmacology (a biomedical science requiring the scientific method) receive separate training and degrees unique to either discipline. pharmacoinformatics is considered another new discipline, for systematic drug discovery and development with efficiency and safety. pharmacogenomics is the study of genetic-linked variants that effect patient clinical responses, allergies, and metabolism of drugs. professionals the world health organization estimates that there are at least 2.6 million pharmacists and other pharmaceutical personnel worldwide. pharmacists main article: pharmacist