Pharmaconomist

Pharmaconomist (Danish: farmakonom) means expert in pharmaceuticals.

Pharmaconomists are a pharmaceutically trained professional group in Denmark (including Greenland and Faroe Islands) with a 3-year higher education. Each year about 180 pharmaconomist students graduate as pharmaconomists from The Danish College of Pharmacy Practice.

Work

The majority of the Danish pharmaconomists works at community pharmacies (chemists' shops or drugstores) and at hospital pharmacies and hospitals.

Some pharmaconomists work within the chemical industry, the pharmaceutical industry and in medical or clinical laboratories.

Other pharmaconomists teach pharmacy students and pharmaconomist students at colleges or universities - such as The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (University of Copenhagen) and The Danish College of Pharmacy Practice.

Pharmaconomists are also employeed by the Danish Ministry of Interior and Health, The Danish Medicines Agency and The Danish Pharmaceutical Association.

Some pharmaconomists do work as pharmaceutical consultants.

Education

During his or her education at The Danish College of Pharmacy Practice, the pharmaconomist is trained in human and animal anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, pharmacy practice, pharmaceutics, toxicology, clinical pharmacy, pharmacotherapy, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, cytology, medicine, veterinary medicine, zoology, diagnosis, medical prescription, pharmacy law, medical sociology, patient safety, health care, psychology, psychiatry, pedagogy, communication, information technology (IT), bioethics, medical ethics, safety, leadership, organization, logistics, economy, quality assurance (QA), sales and marketing.

The 3-year higher education corresponds to 180 ECTS points (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).

What is the difference between a pharmaconomist and a pharmacist?

There are two different professional groups with pharmaceutical education in Denmark:

• Pharmaconomists (with a 3-year higher education)
• Pharmacists (with a 5-year higher education)

Due to his or her higher education as a health professional, the pharmaconomist has by law the same independent competence in all Danish pharmacies as a pharmacist - i.e. for example to dispense and check medical prescriptions, to counsel and advise patients/customers about the use of medicine/pharmaceuticals and to dispense, sell and provide information about medical prescriptions and about prescription medicine and over-the-counter medicine (OTC).

The pharmaconomist also undertakes specialist and managerial operation of pharmacies and undertakes managerial duty service.

The only difference by law is that only a pharmacist may own a Danish pharmacy.

Trade union

The Danish Association of Pharmaconomists is a trade union who represents about 5,700 pharmaconomists in Denmark (i.e. 98% of all Danish pharmaconomists).

"Pharmaconomist" in other languages

• English: pharmaconomist (plural: pharmaconomists)
• Danish: farmakonom (plural: farmakonomer)
• German: Pharmakonom (plural: Pharmakonomen)
• French: pharmaconome (plural: pharmaconomes)
• Italian: farmaconomista (plural: farmaconomisti)
• Spanish: farmaconomista (plural: farmaconomistas)

The Danish title farmakonom (pharmaconomist) comes from the Greek "pharmakon" (meaning "pharmaceuticals") and "nom" (meaning "expert in").

In Denmark a pharmaconomist is also referred to as lægemiddelkyndig (i.e. expert in pharmaceuticals). Lægemiddelkyndig comes from the Danish "lægemiddel" (meaning "pharmaceuticals") and "kyndig" (meaning "expert in").

Sources and external links

• The Danish College of Pharmacy Practice
• The Danish Association of Pharmaconomists
• The Danish Pharmaceutical Association
• Information about pharmaconomists