Pharmacists dedicate themselves to excellence in their knowledge, skill, and caring because they adhere to high moral and ethical principles. This enables them to maintain a covenantal relationship with society. The next statement describes pharmacy as a profession where change must be embraced, rather than resisted. Pharmacists must actively participate as agents of change, focusing on improving health care. The last statement of the Oath describes the pharmacist as voluntarily making these vows with full understanding of the responsibility they impose.
Professionalism requires constant attention.
The seeds of professionalism are sown when students begin their preparation for pharmacy school, are cultivated and nurtured in pharmacy school, and are brought to fruition and maintained during their careers as pharmacists. Becoming a professional means more than learning the science of pharmacy. It means mastering the art of pharmaceutical care in service to fellow human beings. This service must be carried out with dignity, integrity, and honor as reflected in this Oath.