People in Commonwealth countries like the UK, Australia, and New Zealand commonly call a pharmacist a "chemist," a term that also refers to the shop itself, while in North America, "pharmacist" and "drugstore" are standard, though "chemist" is a scientist studying chemistry. This usage stems from historical links to apothecaries and the study of medicinal compounds, though today a "chemist" can mean either the health professional or a research scientist, with context usually making the meaning clear.
In Australia (and England), 'chemist' can refer to 'a scientist who studies chemistry' or be the vernacular expression for 'pharmacist', the person you buy your medications from.
A chemist can be a pharmacist (especially in Commonwealth countries like the UK/Australia, where "chemist" refers to the person and the shop), but a chemist is also a scientist studying matter, while a pharmacist is a specific healthcare professional focused on medications for patients; the key difference is the context: a pharmacist dispenses medicine and advises on health, while a chemist (scientist) researches chemical substances, though the terms overlap colloquially for the pharmacy professional.
A chemist can be a pharmacist (especially in Commonwealth countries like the UK/Australia, where "chemist" refers to the person and the shop), but a chemist is also a scientist studying matter, while a pharmacist is a specific healthcare professional focused on medications for patients; the key difference is the context: a pharmacist dispenses medicine and advises on health, while a chemist (scientist) researches chemical substances, though the terms overlap colloquially for the pharmacy professional.
The word chemist, from 'alchemist', dates to around 1559. Chemist and druggist was a term first used to describe both chemical and drug merchants and practitioners of the emerging profession of pharmacy from the late 1700s.
a person licensed to prepare and dispense drugs and medicines; druggist; apothecary; pharmaceutical chemist.
A chemist (from Greek chēm(ía) alchemy; replacing chymist from Medieval Latin alchemist) is a graduated scientist trained in the study of chemistry, or an officially enrolled student in the field. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties.
In Australia, pharmacies are commonly called both "pharmacies" and "chemists," with "chemist" being a traditional term still widely used in everyday language, even appearing in major store names like Chemist Warehouse. While "pharmacy" is the official term and "pharmacist" is the professional, most Australians use "chemist" interchangeably to refer to the shop where they get medications and health products.
Moving on to the differences, General Practitioners typically have a medical degree and participate in further specialised training. Whereas pharmacists typically have a degree in pharmacy and complete a residency programme.
You generally need a doctor's prescription for oral antibiotics due to potential serious side effects and misuse, but in some regions, specially trained pharmacists can now provide a one-off course for uncomplicated conditions like urinary tract infections (UTIs) for eligible patients, offering quicker access. Topical antibiotics for minor skin issues, like minor cuts, are often available over-the-counter without a prescription.
A pharmacist, also known as a chemist in Commonwealth English (excluding Canada), is a healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about preparation, mechanism of action, clinical usage and legislation of medications in order to dispense them safely to the public and to provide consultancy services.
The highest-paid pharmacist roles are typically in leadership (Director of Pharmacy, Pharmacist-in-Charge), specialized clinical areas (Nuclear Pharmacy, Transplant), or the pharmaceutical industry (Medical Science Liaison), with potential earnings exceeding $150,000-$200,000+ annually, especially with bonuses or in executive positions, far surpassing average staff pharmacist salaries.
This five-syllable word, apothecary, which entered English in the 14th century, derives from the Latin apothēca, "storehouse." It became a title for the person who was skilled in preparing medicines. "Pharmacist" is a more common synonym for apothecary.
Students part way through master's degrees at two universities were given the title 'doctor' on graduation this year. Forty graduate pharmacists can already call themselves 'doctor' despite not knowing they would receive the title when they started their degrees.
Pharmacist salaries in Australia generally range from $80,000 to $110,000 annually for general registration, increasing with experience to over $100,000-$140,000 for senior roles, with interns earning around $65,000-$75,000; pay varies significantly by location (cities like Sydney often higher), setting (hospital vs. community), and seniority, with rural roles and management positions offering more, while some junior roles might start lower.
The lowest rank of a doctor, after medical school, is typically an Intern (or Junior House Officer/JMO), who is a newly graduated doctor working under supervision for their general registration, followed by a Resident (Resident Medical Officer/RMO), who has registration and rotates through different hospital departments, with both serving as foundational roles before specializing.
Two of the most common titles in the field are Registered Pharmacist (RPh) and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).
Pharmacists can prescribe for 7 common conditions in the UK's Pharmacy First service: ear infections, sore throats, sinusitis, impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women, with specific age restrictions applying to each condition. These services allow pharmacists to provide prescription medicine or clinical advice for acute issues, reducing GP visits.
In Victorian UK and into the early 20th Century Pharmacies were literally chemists, they were the place to go for chemicals before patented medicines were widespread. You could by Arsenic, Antimony, Bismuth powder, sulphur and all manner of chemicals we might now think of as being dangerous.
Glossaries / dictionaries of Australian slang (like this one, and this one) list cactus as meaning "dead, useless, or broken."
The term bogan (/ˈboʊɡən/) is an Australian and New Zealander slang word. It can be used to describe a person with a working class background. Or it can be someone whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour display a proud working class attitude. Sometimes the word can have a negative meaning.
Apothecary (/əˈpɒθəkəri/) is an archaic English term for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica (medicine) to physicians, surgeons and patients. The modern terms pharmacist and, in British English, chemist have taken over this role.
A chemist studies matter at the molecular level, focusing on creating new substances and developing drugs, often in labs, while a pharmacist (sometimes called a chemist, especially in Australia/UK) is a healthcare professional focused on dispensing, managing, and advising on existing medications for patients, working in pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics. Essentially, a chemist creates medicine, while a pharmacist dispenses and manages it for health care.
To enter the occupation, chemists and materials scientists typically need at least a bachelor's degree in chemistry or a related field. However, they may need a master's degree or Ph. D. for some jobs, such as research positions.