Psychiatric pharmacy has evolved considerably since its development in the early 1970s. At that time, psychotropic medications were prescribed only to the most severely mentally ill, and serious side effects were common. Since then, the national amount spent on mental health medications has grown to exceed $20 billion annually. With approximately 58 million Americans affected by mental illness, psychiatric disorder is now one of the leading causes of disability and healthcare expenditure in the United States, making psychiatric pharmacy a field with widespread necessity.
Psychiatric pharmacists specialize in treating mental illness through psychotropic medications. Because of the chronic nature of psychiatric conditions, psychiatric pharmacists often work with patients and in locations that vary considerably. They may work with both youths and the very elderly, as well as consulting with patients in mental health clinics, long term care facilities, rehab centers, and prisons. Like many pharmacists, they divide their energy between patient care and drug research and occasionally instructing other health care students, researchers, and practitioners.
The Board of Pharmacy Specialists (BPS) is the foremost certification agency for the specialized pharmacological fields. Their mission statement is as follows:
“The Mission of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties is to improve patient care by promoting the recognition and value of specialized training, knowledge, and skills in pharmacy and specialty board certification of pharmacists.”
In addition to the undergraduate and pharmacy college schoolwork required for all pharmacists, board certification for psychiatric pharmacy requires completion of any of the following post-graduate endeavors:
Lastly, candidates must pass the Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialty Certification Exam.
Board recertification is required every seven years. This process exists to ensure both the public and the pharmacy community that practitioners undergo periodic evaluation. Recertification involves an assessment of skills and knowledge that requires completion of either of the following:
Psychiatric pharmacists are needed in all pharmacy environments. They may work in academic roles and pharmacy administration, ambulatory clinics, hospitals, community pharmacies, or nursing homes. If a psychiatric pharmacist focuses on research, he or she could expect to work for a pharmaceutical drug company, in a private lab, or for the government, especially in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. In most environments, psychiatric pharmacists work as part of a team of health specialists.
There is no official data on the median annual salary of psychiatric pharmacists. However, due to their specialization, they can be expected to make slightly more than $118,470 a year, the median salary of general pharmacists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Location, experience, and qualifications may all alter base salary.
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