Can a person with Aspergers be a pharmacist ?

[simon2wright]

I have aspergers syndrome, I was very good at maths and science at school, I know that some people with aspergers have very good jobs in engineering and in science, but since I have bad communication skills would it cause lots of problems if I wanted to be a phamacist?

[Apothecary]

Simon

I believe that anybody can become whatever they want to be. Aspergers has such a wide range of problems that it is difficult to know if you would be a candidate for this type of work or not. Having said that we are in the days of equal opportunities, so you should be judged on your own merits, not the pre-conceived ideas of what a person with this condition is like.

To become a pharmacist you would have to gain entry to one of the schools of pharmacy. This is usually done via the three A level route (or AS levels now). You have to study for four years, then a further one year pre-registration year, before finally passing two Pharmaceutical Society exams. The job involves a lot of communication with the public, about all health/drug related matters, as well as other health care professionals.

Having said that a great many pharmacists work in industry, academia all sorts of places. I have met quite a few pharmacists/doctors/nurses etc with very bad communication skills !

There are many disabled people who are scientists. A good book to get can be found at: -

http://www.natdisteam.ac.uk/resources.php?id=428

This has chapters on disabled people (with varying conditions) who work in scientific fields. There is a section on a pharmacist. You could e-mail the author as he is a disability rights advisor who could help you.

If it's really what you want to be follow your dream.

If you have more specific questions put another post up.

[Pari]

Dear Simon
how is everything with you? how about your decision about studying pharmacy? Try to put some posts here, may be it'd help you.
Have nice time