Pharmacists, Dietitians and Nutritionists (NOC 313)

What They Do Community and hospital pharmacists prepare and dispense prescribed drugs/other medicines, advise on the use of drugs/medications, and maintain records of customers' medications. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, testing, and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They also develop information material on the use/properties of particular drugs, and evaluate the labelling, packaging, and advertising of drug products. Dietitians and nutritionists are health promotion specialists - advising and counseling individuals and populations on healthy eating at all stages of the life cycle and on chronic disease prevention and management. Dietitians plan and provide health education programs, provide counseling, conduct research, advise on healthy public policy and may plan and supervise food service operations in health care, schools and the hospitality industry.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Retail trade 60% Health care and social assistance 35% People in this group work in clinics, retail outlets in malls or shopping centres, community health centres, and hospitals; in private practice; and as consultants to business. The unionization rate (34%) is close to the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of are found in Alberta and Prince Edward Island while the lowest concentrations are in New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Related Occupation(s) Physical Science Professionals (NOC 211) Pharmacists (NOC 3131)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Keeping constantly updated in your specialty Improving interpersonal skills Learning business management Finding out about telemedicine

Use the "Where They Find Work" graph to target your worksearch. It may be easier to get into industries with the most people in this field. Want to work in an industry that hires fewer workers in this field? To be more marketable, check out whether you have the most up-to-date knowledge and technology skills for that industry. Check the provincial/territorial or local information (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca) for opportunities in your area.

What You Need In general, you need a university degree. To be a pharmacist, you must have a bachelor's degree in pharmacy and practical supervised training. To work as a hospital or community pharmacist, you also need a licence from the province/territory where you'll work. To be a dietitian or nutritionist, you need a bachelor's in dietetics and a one year practicum/internship in an accredited program or a Master's Degree, and registration with the dietetic regulatory body in the province/territory where you'll work. To work in policy, programs and research a Master's Degree in a related area is usually required. Most recent entrants have an undergraduate university degree.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Health - Other (U523) Pharmacy (U570) Food and Household Sciences (Dietetics) (U630) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Multidisciplinary teamwork Business and financial management Committee work Interpersonal skills		Useful High School Subjects Health Sciences Math English Computer-related courses
Depending on your background, this Education, Training, and Experience info will help you to: Choose your high school courses Plan your post-secondary program Choose relevant volunteer work Decide what new skills to learn Read job ads, professional journals, and newspapers for what the industry needs and employers want. Talk to employers and employees to find out the exceptional skills and knowledge that will help you land a job.

Current Conditions Your work prospects are rated GOOD because: Employement grew at a below-average rate. Hourly wages ($30.17) are above the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is close to the average. The unemployment rate (1%) is below the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Good   2009   Good

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be GOOD because: The employment growth rate will likely be above average because of a growing and aging population that requires more health care/prescription drugs and Canadians with insurance to cover more services. Although the retirement rate will likely be average, the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.

Preparing for the Competition You'll be more likely to succeed if you get training in research, disease management, and pharmaco-economics (determining the costs/benefits of different drug therapies). You're likely to be competing for jobs with dietitian technicians.

If you are beginning your career investigation, national outlooks will give you a good overview of trends. Ready to explore an occupation in more detail? Check provincial/territorial or local outlooks (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca).

What you can expect to make (Average Hourly Earnings ($/hour))
Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 $19.94 $11.74 25-54 $30.96 $19.76 55+ $29.92 $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $30.17 $18.07		Hourly wages ($30.17) are above the national average ($18.07). These earnings are above average for occupations in the health sector and above average for all professional occupations. These wages grew at an average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Your salary can be affected by your background, the company's size and benefits, and the region and setting (urban or rural). Check out salaries in your own region by seeking info from: Employees/unions/associations Employers/human resource people Training institutions and placement services Company websites Professional/trade journals

Below the average
The unemployment rate (1%) is below the 2004 average (7%). This rate is below the average for professionnal occupations. A low unemployment rate often means less competition for the jobs available. But you still need to have the required training and experience. A high unemployment rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll have great difficulty getting hired. But it can mean a fluctuating demand for workers, and you may experience bouts of unemployment.		Year This Occupation All Occupations 1991 1% 10% 1992 1% 11% 1993 2% 11% 1994 3% 10% 1995 2% 10% 1996 2% 10% 1997 3% 9% 1998 1% 8% 1999 1% 8% 2000 0% 7% 2001 1% 7% 2002 1% 8% 2003 1% 8% 2004 1% 7%

% of Part-time work is above average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 78% 81% Part-time 22% 19%		There were 30,600 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, an increase of 12% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers (22%) is above the 2004 average (19%) and has dropped since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Average
The percentage of self-employed workers is 14% compared to the 2004 average of 15% and has dropped since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 14% 15%
Does this occupation have an above-average rate of self-employment? Consider being your own boss if you can't find work with an employer.

Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 3% 10% 25-54 86% 72% 55+ 11% 12%		The relatively low percentage of younger workers suggests few entry-level job openings, and could point to a greater need for workers with experience or a number of years of training. The retirement rate to 2009 will likely be average reflecting the age/retirement structure of the occupation.
Look at the youngest group. A low percentage means fewer openings for brand-new workers. A high percentage means more openings for brand-new workers. Look at the oldest age group. A high percentage means positions could open up from retirements. This could be significant for both mid-career changers and brand-new workers.

Above average
The percentage of women (66%) is above the 2004 average of 48% and has dropped since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 66% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31