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Clinical pharmacist vs doctor

The differences between clinical pharmacists and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a doctor has an average salary of $208,582, which is higher than the $94,705 average annual salary of a clinical pharmacist.

The top three skills for a clinical pharmacist include patients, patient care and pharmd. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.

Clinical pharmacist vs doctor overview

Clinical PharmacistDoctor
Yearly salary$94,705$208,582
Hourly rate$45.53$100.28
Growth rate2%7%
Number of jobs101,56414,571
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age4248
Years of experience--

What does a clinical pharmacist do?

A clinical pharmacist is responsible for offering high-quality health care services for the patients, especially on administering effective medications by evaluating the patient's health condition and checking medical history. Clinical pharmacists assist other medical professionals in developing treatment plans and pharmacy programs, educating the patients on appropriate medicine dosages, medicine intake instructions, and other activities that would help patients achieve their healthy lifestyle and wellness. They must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, including appropriate treatments and procedures, to provide the best treatment options for the patients' needs and patiently respond to their inquiries and concerns.

What does a doctor do?

A doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.

Clinical pharmacist vs doctor salary

Clinical pharmacists and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Clinical PharmacistDoctor
Average salary$94,705$208,582
Salary rangeBetween $58,000 And $152,000Between $106,000 And $408,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CAGreen Bay, WI
Highest paying stateCaliforniaOhio
Best paying companyEast Tennessee Children's HospitalSaint Luke's Health System
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between clinical pharmacist and doctor education

There are a few differences between a clinical pharmacist and a doctor in terms of educational background:

Clinical PharmacistDoctor
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorPharmacyMedicine
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborDuke University

Clinical pharmacist vs doctor demographics

Here are the differences between clinical pharmacists' and doctors' demographics:

Clinical PharmacistDoctor
Average age4248
Gender ratioMale, 39.0% Female, 61.0%Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 5.8% Asian, 21.4% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%13%

Differences between clinical pharmacist and doctor duties and responsibilities

Clinical pharmacist example responsibilities.

  • Train, manage and instruct pharmacy technicians, interns, and PharmD candidates on clinical rotations.
  • Dose and manage all Vancomycin and Aminoglycoside antibiotics throughout the entire hospital including overseeing, evaluating, and ordering antibiotic labs.
  • Receive and verify drug orders from physicians using computerize physician order entry system, including cancer chemotherapy orders.
  • Implement updated pediatric chemotherapy-induce nausea and vomiting (CINV) guidelines and policy for use in all pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy.
  • Provide clinical assistance to the RPh staff in addition to case processing.
  • Maintain sterile product manufacturing processes to comply with federal, state and local regulations and JCAHO standards.
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Doctor example responsibilities.

  • Manage conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, asthma, and GERD.
  • Develop personalize treatment plans, rehabilitation plans, exercise plans, report of findings, nutritional plans and narrative reports.
  • Perform patient x-rays, provide MRI consultations.
  • Perform x-rays of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.
  • Hire, train, educate and monitor staff in HIPPA policies and procedures.
  • Create, update, and maintain confidential patient EHRs in compliance with all HIPAA laws and regulations.
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Clinical pharmacist vs doctor skills

Common clinical pharmacist skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Patient Care, 11%
  • PharmD, 7%
  • Medication Orders, 5%
  • Pharmaceutical Care, 4%
  • Drug Therapy, 4%
Common doctor skills
  • Patients, 33%
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Emergency Medicine, 5%
  • Surgery, 5%
  • DR, 4%
  • Cleanliness, 3%

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