They are the people you turn to when you have a stuffy nose or a question about your medication. And they are in demand here in Southern Nevada, even during this slow economy.

The need for pharmacists is growing, and that means great job opportunities for the graduates of the University of Southern Nevada's pharmacy school. News 3's Katherine Whaley spoke to students during Friday's graduation ceremony as they prepare to start their recession-proof job.

They could be some of the happiest graduates you'll meet in 2009. Tanya Stone is one of 128 students who have earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern Nevada. And even in this tough economy, the future for them is bright.

"Pharmacy is one of the hidden jewels I think of the medical community. It's a tremendous and growing field. And as the ‘baby boomers' age, they all need medication and they all need care by pharmacists."

Ninety percent of these grads will have jobs within the next six months. And because of the growing demand, they don't have to leave Nevada to find work.

"This is where I am from; I call Las Vegas home," says Stone. "I really appreciate having an opportunity to stay here. I love southern Nevada; I love the weather, I love all the things to do here, and there's a great opportunity with pharmacy also."

With more and more people losing their jobs and health insurance, many folks are turning to pharmacists instead of physicians for medical advice. It's a little extra job security in the pharmacy field, despite these tough economic times.

"The fact that the pharmacist is accessible and can offer free advice to patients is really a big plus for the general public," says pharmacist Emily Williams. "This is a very tough economic time right now and being in the pharmacy world is very stable."

Now more than ever, Williams is putting her knowledge to work.

"We're here to field any kind of questions - even if they're having a stomachache, what's the best thing to take, is it ok to take these drugs together..."

And today, their job outlook is health and their mission is to keep others healthy, too.

"It's just such an honor to be able to give back to the community now."

In additional to pharmacology, police officers, registered nurses, teachers, funeral directors, and public relations specialists were at the top of the list for recession-proof jobs according to CareerBuilder.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.