That's one thing I've wondered about as well. Most of what pharmacists do can be automated and should be automated. That doesn't mean pharmacists should be without work. Their expertise should be applied elsewhere. What's the point of getting so much education to simply count pills?

Better yet, why can't your doctor just send the request to a pharmacist facility and have them fill the order and deliver it to your home? Why does he hand you a piece of paper that you have to bring to a pharmacist? When you give blood, you don't take the vials/tubes to the testing facility. The doctor's office sends it where it needs to go.