Hay River (Sep 11/06) - Dorinda Gonzales thinks people don't fully understand the role of pharmacists.

"The misconception is we're pill counters," said the part-time pharmacist at Ring's Pharmacy in Hay River. "We've tried for many years to change that perception."

Pharmacists are an integral part of the health-care system, she explained.

In fact, Gonzales noted doctors often rely on pharmacists' knowledge for information on drug interactions and dosages.

She has been a pharmacist for 13 years, including four years at Ring's Pharmacy.

Gonzales likes working directly with the public.

"We're hands-on," she said. "The patient is right in front of you and you're helping them."

Pharmacists are often the first health-care professional a person will go to, she said.

"They're the most accessible health-care professionals," she said, adding pharmacists decide if a person should see a doctor or if a person can be helped with over-the-counter medication.

Gonzales, 38, said studies have shown that pharmacists are the most trusted health-care professionals.

People ask them about an assortment of ailments, but the most frequently asked questions are about colds.

"Every day it's the common cold."

The most challenging part of the job is keeping up with the paperwork, especially billing insurance companies, she said.

Gonzales chose to become a pharmacist because she likes science.

"It seemed like a good career," she said, adding her father wanted her to become a nurse.

However, she saw her aunt working odd hours as a nurse and decided on a career with a more regular schedule.

She studied to become a pharmacist at the University on Alberta in her hometown of Edmonton.

The studies involve one year of pre-pharmacy and four years in the Faculty of Pharmacy.

There students learn everything there is to know about drugs - from chemical structures to side effects to how to store them properly.

Gonzales gets a lot of satisfaction from her job.

"It's probably the most rewarding when you can help a patient and apply what you learned at school."

As a pharmacist, the learning never stops.

"There are new drugs all the time," Gonzales said. "There's a continuing education you need to do."

Pharmacists study on-line or at home through distance education to keep up with the changes because their licences have to be renewed every year.