Chemist or Pharmacy?

Allergy Pharmacy or Allergy Chemist?

Are they the same thing?


In NZ, Australia and the UK the term Chemist used to refer to pharmacies and pharmacists.  Now we typically distinguish between a chemist (person who has studied chemistry), a pharmacist (a health professional) and the place where pharmacists work (often a pharmacy).
 
Chemists are experts in Chemistry, a branch of physical science, that is the study of the properties and building (synthesis) of molecules.  You can find chemists working in such diverse industries as paint formulation, drug development and the food industry. 
Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use.

A pharmacy (commonly called a drugstore in North America) is the place where many pharmacists practice the profession of pharmacy.  In NZ all pharmacies are registered by the Ministry of Health and pharmacists work in them dispensing medicines, providing medicines advice and advising on treatment for minor health conditions.  Their role in community health provision is developing, with NZ pharmacists now giving immunisations and offering monitoring for patients on certain drugs. Pharmacists may also practice in a variety of other settings, including industry, wholesaling, research, academia, military, and government.

 
If you would like to find out more about pharmacists or are considering pharmacy as a career you can find out more at the Pharmacy Council of NZ website or the Pharmaceutical Society of NZ website.
boy chemist(copy)pharmacist dispensing medicine royalty free clipart picture 090329-170521-9730481324495462815(copy)