How to become a compounding pharmacist

If you’ve recently graduated or you’re looking to explore other employment opportunities, you might consider becoming a compounding pharmacist. A career as a compounding pharmacist can be rewarding, as many patients seek compounding pharmacists when they are in need of personalized treatments. While the curriculum in pharmacy school typically includes the foundations of compounding medications, advanced training may be recommended to attract the best job offers in compounding. 

It can be difficult to find resources on becoming a compounding pharmacist right out of the gate. In this article, you’ll learn how to become a compounding pharmacist, a compounding pharmacist’s salary, and how to go about finding compounding pharmacist jobs. 

What is a compounding pharmacist?

A compounding pharmacist creates, customizes, and prepares drug formulations for patients who may not be able to take a commercially prepared drug for any number of reasons. Patients may purchase compounded medications because of:

• Allergies to certain ingredients in commercially available drugs, such as dyes, additives, lactose, or gluten 
• An inability to swallow or ingest a particular formulation of a commercially available drug, such as a large capsule or tablet 
• A specific strength or dosage of a medication needed
• Unpleasant medication taste that needs flavoring to make it more palatable, especially for children and pets
• A drug shortage or inability to find a particular drug, such as desiccated natural thyroid hormones 

Compounding pharmacists can create customized medications, such as flavored liquid solutions, topical creams or gels, and suppositories. While pharmacists in hospitals or retail pharmacies can mix simple medications, like antibiotic liquids for children, they don’t usually have the equipment or know-how for more advanced compounded medications.

One important aspect of compounding pharmacy to note is that compounding pharmacists are not permitted to make copies of commercially available drugs. In addition, patients need a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider to purchase a compounded prescription drug. Once prepared, the compounded medication is dispensed directly to the patient and is not permitted to be mass-produced or distributed. 

How long does it take to become a compounding pharmacist?

Compounding pharmacists need to fulfill all the requirements needed by any other pharmacist to practice. It can take anywhere from six to eight years or more to become a licensed pharmacist after high school. It can take less time to become a pharmacist with a six-year program right after high school, and it can take longer to become a fully, practicing pharmacist if you pursue a bachelor’s degree before applying for pharmacy school. 

All pharmacists need to have gone through an accredited pharmacy degree program and earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. They will then have had to pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and any subsequent law exams as required by their state. 

No designated compounding pharmacist specialty is currently recognized in the United States. Moreover, no states require specific compounding pharmacy training to be a compounding pharmacist. Most pharmacists will be exposed to a foundational level of compounding in pharmacy school. 

After becoming licensed, a pharmacist can choose to apply for jobs at compounding pharmacies where they may receive more extensive training in compounding. Pharmacists that work with sterile compounding can get board certified through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. 

USP General Chapters

Some technical knowledge of compounding and regulations is necessary to be a compounding pharmacist. Compounding pharmacists should have adequate knowledge of regulations indicated in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) General Chapters 795, 797, and 800. 

Chapter 795 provides guidelines and standards for ensuring quality nonsterile preparations, while Chapter 797 goes over requirements and standards for sterile preparations. The USP 800 addresses the safe handling of hazardous drugs to reduce the risk of accidents in patients, workers, and the environment. 

Additional training and resources for compounding pharmacists

For pharmacists who want additional training in compounding, special training programs are available. The Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) offers programs that dive deep into the knowledge and skills required for compounding. They also have separate training for compounding specialty medications or medications for animals. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) offers a continuing education program in which pharmacists can earn a compounded sterile preparations certificate. 

Pharmacists seeking to learn on the job should work with compounding pharmacies that have been accredited. Compounding pharmacies can become accredited through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) Compounding Pharmacy Accreditation or the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB). 

Several organizations provide resources for compounding. National pharmacy associations focused on compounding include PCCA, PCAB, and the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP). You can also contact your state board of pharmacy for more information on compounding regulations in your state.

Desired qualities of a compounding pharmacist

Some qualities that may be preferred when working as a compounding pharmacist. For example, compounding pharmacists generally need to have good customer service skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work with and manage a team. 

Customer service

Since they are preparing medications based on individual patient needs, compounding pharmacists should be able to foster trustful relationships with their patients. It’s important that patients feel comfortable getting their personalized medications from a compounding pharmacist. 

Attention to detail

Compounding medications requires attention to detail due to specific strengths and dosages requested by patients. Attention to detail is also needed when calculating how much of a drug should be added to a formula. 

Team player

Compounding pharmacy technicians play a crucial role in assisting the pharmacist. It’s important to be able to work well on a team to ensure the compounding pharmacy is providing safe and effective treatments for its patients. 

How much does a compounding pharmacist make?

The average compounding pharmacist salary is around $130,000. However, the actual salary can vary based on experience, location, certifications, and other factors. The average compounding pharmacist salary can range between approximately $120,000 and $140,000. This salary falls in line with the typical salaries for pharmacists across the United States. 

There is no specific data on the outlook of jobs for compounding pharmacists. There were about 6,000 pharmacies specialized in compounding in the United States in 2015. This number has likely increased significantly since then. Because of the specialized service that compounding pharmacies offer, the demand for compounding pharmacists should remain consistent when taking into account job turnover and pharmacists retiring.