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The differences between 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 $118,968 average annual salary of a pharmacist.
The top three skills for a pharmacist include patients, customer service and employee development. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.
| Pharmacist | Doctor | |
| Yearly salary | $118,968 | $208,582 |
| Hourly rate | $57.20 | $100.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 50,943 | 14,571 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.67 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Pharmacists are medical experts who distribute prescribed medications and immunizations to individuals. They are responsible for ensuring the quality of medicines supplied to patients, which should be within the law and prescribing only what is suitable to the condition of the user and provide proper knowledge on how to take them and possible reactions or side effects that may occur. Pharmacists could work in all environments where medications are used, or medication therapy is appraised as part of patients' care plan but most commonly in hospitals, community-based setting, and health systems.
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.
Pharmacists and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pharmacist | Doctor | |
| Average salary | $118,968 | $208,582 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $151,000 | Between $106,000 And $408,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Green Bay, WI |
| Highest paying state | California | Ohio |
| Best paying company | Safeway | Saint Luke's Health System |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a pharmacist and a doctor in terms of educational background:
| Pharmacist | Doctor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Pharmacy | Medicine |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Duke University |
Here are the differences between pharmacists' and doctors' demographics:
| Pharmacist | Doctor | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8% | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 5.6% Asian, 20.9% White, 62.4% 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 Percentage | 11% | 13% |