Chemist [kem-ist]

n. a scientist who specialises in Chemistry

A chemist is a scientist who has trained and specialised in the science of chemistry.  A chemist studies the composition of matter and using high tech methods will investigate the chemical nature of substances in order to understand the substance and how it behaves under varying conditions.
There are several major sub-disciplines with a great deal of overlap between not just the different branches, but other sciences such as biology, medicine, physics and some engineering disciplines.

An Analytical Chemist analyses samples to provide information on compounds or quantities of compounds present, uses analytical techniques and instrumentation and interprets data, reporting scientific results.

A Biochemist studies the chemicals and their reactions and interactions within living organisms.

Inorganic Chemistry looks at the properties of inorganic compounds and includes the study of atomic and molecular structure and bonding.

A Medicinal Chemist develops pharmaceutical drugs by identifying and developing new chemical entities for therapeutic use as well as working with existing drugs.

n. a health professional trained to prepare and dispense drugs

In the UK a pharmacist is often referred to as a dispensing chemist or “the chemist”; this term stems from the fact that historically, pharmacists had to pass an examination in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PhC) which was set by what was then the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. They were referred to as "Pharmaceutical Chemists" which leads to the common confusion with scientists in the field of chemistry.

These days the high street chemist shop sells everything from hairbrushes to swimwear.