"Where, may I ask, did you read a job description for "pharmacist" that equated the profession with a pill-dispensing vending machine? Where are you getting this "only" and "any" language?"

Have you ever gotten a pharmacist to dispense a controlled drug for which you did NOT have a prescription from a doctor? I do believe that pharmacist would lose her license.

What happens, also, if your pharmacist notices a problem with your prescription - some odd-seeming dosing, or a contraindication the doctor has missed? Does she provide you with an alternative instead, or does she recommend that you talk to your doctor? What if you've already discussed the contraindication with your doctor, and you are ok with the risk? Or maybe the doctor is using a drug off-label? Does the pharmacist have leeway to change the doctor's orders? No.

Pharmacists certainly do MORE than just act as pill-dispensing vending machines, but when it comes to actually handing out the actual pills, I'm sorry if this hurts your professional pride, but they ARE supposed to act as vending machines - intelligent vending machines, but vending machines nonetheless.