Becoming a Chemist ( Pharmacist) or Pharmacy Tech

Greetings people,

With much thought, I have decided that I should pursue my life-long dream of becoming a pharmacist.  I have also decided that it would be a good idea to pursue my other life-long dream of moving to the United Kingdom!!

Presently, I have a High School diploma and that is all.  I am wondering how one would become a Pharmacist/Chemist or a Pharmacy Technician in the UK? 

I read somewhere that NHS hospitals and Community Pharmacies are the organizations which are more likely to offer a Student Pharmacy Technician program.  Would you suggest that this is a good start to the field of pharmacy?  I was thinking that I should maybe start as a tech and work my way up as a pharmacist..

I really would like to pursue this further, but as of yet I have next to no financial resources and income.  I also have no idea where to start.  I would like to attend a program to become a pharmacy technician, and eventually become a licensed Chemist (pharmacist)...

Does anyone have any advice?  It would be much appreciated :-)

Regards,

Hi~

Here is the website for the Association of Pharmacy Technicians. http://www.aptuk.org/ Seems like a good place to start your research. Best of luck!

Merci beaucoup

This is likely to work out quite well...at the moment, pharmacists are on the official Home Office shortage list, so when you qualify, when you get an offer of employment from a UK company, you should have no problems getting a work permit.

Vicky

That is very encouraging to hear!

At this time I don't have much money to actually get started with.  Would I need an offer of employment to come and study as a pharmacy technician?  From what I have read, the way one becomes a pharmacy technician is through work-study, working 4 days a week in a pharmacy and 1 day per week studying at an accredited college. 

Secondly, I'd like to know if there are any resources for finding an international student loan?  I'm currently a US citizen.

Lastly, does anybody know of any resources for finding a school of pharmacy or pharmacy technician vocational program in the London area?  I would also consider the Essex/Epping area, since I've heard it to be quite beautiful :-)



~JDV