12 Free Online Pharmacy Courses With Certificates

In this article, you will find a list of free online pharmacy courses with certificates to complement your traditional learning or prepare you for higher learning in your institution of choice. I have added details, requirements, duration, and others to make sure you have a deep overview of the courses.

Pharmacy sounds like something I would sure like to study in the future, except that I don’t like the smell of drugs. Well, I have always had an eye for professional courses like this because they sounded cool and could also give my family something to brag about.

Funny enough, when I saw that it was one of the best science courses that a female can study, I developed more interest in it. During my final year in high school, I had Medicine, Engineering, Medical Laboratory Science, and Pharmacy at the top of my list.

Well, I did not later continue that path, but I must tell you that pharmacy is among the best health courses you can study in a higher institution. You are not only guaranteed high pay, but also job security as the demands for pharmacists are ever increasing.

In this article, we will be exploring those free online pharmacy courses you can take to aid in your learning and increase your wealth of knowledge. I urge you to follow me closely as I unveil them.

If you also have a thing for health and social care, we have free online courses on them. You can check it out.

Requirements to Become a Pharmacist

Pharmacy as a course deals with the techniques of preparing and dispensing drugs. As a student studying pharmacy, you will learn how different types of drugs affect the human body and mind and how they interact when mixed.

Here are some of the requirements you will have to meet before you can become a pharmacist.

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

As a pharmacy student, you must complete a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field or at least two years of undergraduate pre-pharmacy preparatory classes.

You can check the entry requirements of your desired pharmacy program to see all that is there, though pharmacy schools usually require a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher and an emphasis on biology, physics, and chemistry courses.

2. Take the PCAT

Before you can enroll in most pharmacy schools, it is required that you take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). The PCAT has sections that test verbal ability, chemistry, biology, reading comprehension, quantitative ability, and writing skills.

3. Enroll in a Pharmacy Program

Another requirement to become a pharmacist is earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, or Pharm.D, from a pharmacy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Usually, these programs take four years to complete, but some schools offer expedited programs that take three years.

4. Pass Your State Pharmacy Licensure Exam

Once the pharmacy school curriculum is complete, you will need to pass a licensure exam specific to the state in which you want to work. An example is the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX).

FREE ONLINE PHARMACY COURSES WITH CERTIFICATES

Free Online Pharmacy Courses with Certificates

Having seen the requirements to becoming a pharmacist, these are the courses you can use to complement your traditional learning and acquire a certificate upon completion, and the good thing is that the courses are free of charge.

Too good to be true? Okay, follow me and see things for yourself.

  • Good Pharmacy Practice: Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy Services
  • Good Pharmacy Practice: Introduction to Medication Delivery Systems
  • Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing in Renal Disease
  • Intro to Clinical Pharmacology: Dynamics and Kinetics
  • Drug Development Product Management Specialization
  • Pharmacy Assistant
  • Discovering Science: Medicinal Chemistry
  • Evidence-Based Medicine in Clinical Pharmacy Practice
  • Become a Pharmacy Preceptor
  • Good Pharmacy Practice: Pharmaceutical Services
  • The Science of Medicines
  • Essentials of Good Pharmacy Practice: The Basics

1.  Good Pharmacy Practice: Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy Services

Coming up first on our list of free online pharmacy courses with certificates is the first course in a multiple-part course on FutureLearn. This course is for those who are looking to develop their knowledge and understanding of clinical pharmacy services while learning how to set up their pharmacy clinic.

Offered by Taipei Medical University, this course will introduce you to clinical pharmacy services (CPS), one of the key roles of pharmacists, and what the service entails according to The Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) guidelines.

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2.  Good Pharmacy Practice: Introduction to Medication Delivery Systems

The next one on our list is the Introduction to Medication Delivery Systems, a three-week continuation course on FutureLearn. In this course from Taipei Medical University, you’ll explore the different types of medication distribution systems in hospitals and the principles of evaluating drug delivery systems.

Throughout the course, you’ll be taught by experienced pharmacists from Taipei Veterans General Hospital who will share their clinical experiences. Through these cases, you’ll see how Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) guidelines are being established in this hospital.

According to the course provider, this course, as well as the other parts, is designed for anyone with an interest in pharmaceutical service, especially those currently practicing pharmacy. It may also be useful if you’re studying pharmacy or related biological sciences.

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3.  Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing in Renal Disease

Drug Dosing in Renal Disease is a 6-week pharmacokinetics course available for those looking to build clinical pharmacy skills and explore the complexities of drug dosing in renal disease.

This course will teach you the principles of pharmacokinetics and drug dose adjustment in patients with renal disease. You will learn the basic kidney physiology and functions, including the filtration, secretion, and reabsorption of water, and the mechanisms of renal drug excretion.

Similarly, you will be taught how to calculate renal clearance, and how to recommend a dosing regimen for patients with the disease. You will also explore the general principles for dosage adjustment in dialysis patients, and be able to describe the typical clinical presentation of chronic renal failure.

This course is designed for you if you require clinical pharmacokinetic knowledge as an undergraduate pharmacy student, post-graduate pharmacy student, or pharmacist in clinical practice.

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4. Intro to Clinical Pharmacology: Dynamics and Kinetics

Another course on free online pharmacy courses with certificates is this introductory course on Udemy. This is where you will learn the practical, real-world applications and examples of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic principles that may affect patient care.

This one-hour video course is aimed at nursing students, beginner pharmacy students, beginner medical students, beginner physician assistants, beginner nurse practitioners, dietitians, physical therapists, and pharmacy technicians.

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5.  Drug Development Product Management Specialization

Drug Development Product Management Specialization is the next course on our list of online pharmacy courses with certificates offered freely by the University of San Diego and administered through Coursera. In this three-month specialization, you will learn the major aspects of the drug discovery process, starting with target selection, to compound screening to designing lead candidates.

Product registration and approval process after a drug is considered safe and effective from Phase 3 trials, how it must be authorized in each country before it can be marketed. The marketing strategy, pricing strategy, and tactical plans as part of the drug commercialization process.

The three courses in this specialization are:

  • Drug Discovery
  • Drug Development
  • Drug Commercialization

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6. Pharmacy Assistant

Pharmacy Assistant makes a great addition to our list of free online pharmacy courses with certificates. This six-hour course on Alison will teach the students the roles and responsibilities of an efficient pharmacy assistant.

There are four wholesome modules where the students will take and complete 17 courses and a course assessment to qualify for a certificate.

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7. Discovering Science: Medicinal Chemistry

Another course on free online pharmacy courses with certificates is Discovering Science: Medicinal Chemistry, a two-week course on FutureLeran.

In this course, you will discover how chemotherapy has evolved, and some of the breakthroughs and developments chemists have made in the fight against cancer over the last 10 years.

Diagnostic imaging examines how scientists learn about and treat the inside of the body without invasive surgery. You’ll explore how modern imaging techniques diagnose problems quickly and safely, and how diseases that may not previously have been picked up are identified.

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8. Evidence-Based Medicine in Clinical Pharmacy Practice

This is another course offered by FutureLearn. It is a six-week course that teaches students how to interpret medical literature through the principles of evidence-based medicine and apply them in clinical practice.

Learners will explore the basic applications of p-values, power, and statistical tests that are typically found in the medical literature. They will discover how to interpret number-needed-to-treat, number-needed-to-harm, and noninferiority studies through medical literature examples.

They will also understand and review the pros and cons of clinical practice guidelines and decipher the appropriate application of these guidelines in practice.

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9. Become a Pharmacy Preceptor

Another super interesting course on free online pharmacy courses with certificates is Becoming a Pharmacy Preceptor, a four-week course on FutureLearn.

This course will provide those looking to become internship preceptors, in the context of pharmacy education, with basic knowledge about pharmacy precepting. Here, you’ll get an introduction to pharmacy precepting, noting the typical responsibilities and duties a preceptor must take on.

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10. Good Pharmacy Practice: Pharmaceutical Services

If you want to discover how to use automation to improve drug safety, make ethical medical decisions, and continue your professional development, then this course has your name in it.

This course builds on the Good Pharmacy Practice: Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy Services course, the first course we captured on our list of free online pharmacy courses with certificates. If you’re new to pharmaceutical services, it is highly recommended that you complete the introductory course first.

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11. The Science of Medicines

This is a six-week course that teaches you the science behind how and why medicines work, and what can improve patients’ treatment.

Week by week you will study a new medicine and health area, starting by looking through the eyes of an affected patient. You will learn the mechanics of a disease and how it affects the world’s population. You will then delve into the science of medicine to explore the medicine’s chemistry, how it works in the body, and why it is formulated in a certain way to become the medicine you see on the pharmacy shelf.

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12. Essentials of Good Pharmacy Practice: The Basics

This is the last course on this list of free online pharmacy courses with certificates. This three-week course aims to provide pharmacists with some essential knowledge to provide better pharmaceutical services and professional abilities, related to the World Health Organisation’s Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) recommendations.

You will learn the basic preparation of medical products, chemotherapy drugs, and ideas to improve pharmacy practice.

This course is available to all those with a background in pharmaceutical service especially those practicing pharmacy. It will also be useful for those currently studying pharmacy and related biological sciences, as well as learners with an interest in pharmacy practices across the world.

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Can pharmacy be studied online?

Yes, it can. Some colleges have created online pharmacy schools for several pharmacy programs. This allows students to complete their coursework online, and complete clinical practice hours at facilities near their homes.

Is pharmacy a good career?

Yes, pharmacy is indeed a good career. It is a very rewarding and respected career and has made it to the list of top 50 high-paying professions in the world.

How long does it take to become a Pharmacist?

It can take six to eight years to become a pharmacist after graduating from high school. That is two to four years of undergraduate study and four years of postgraduate study.

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