Consider yourself warned...BS is Back!

[rxpert]

So I've read countless questions about the future of pharmacy and sincerely hope this article can help a current student.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/841383

Long story short, a designation will be made between pharmacists that dispense (B.S. Pharm.) and those that don't (Pharm.D.)...again (research pharmacy pre-2006).

Stressing and developing your cognitive abilities will be of the utmost importance, as many dispensing will be replaced with automated machines and/or "Supertechs."

Regardless, extra credentials, residencies, and fellowships may not save or support you while paying off loans.

Consider connecting the dots on your own and pursue another path outside of pharmacy for future, stable employment. Alternatively, simply start and scale a business idea with those first few paychecks.

Pharmacy school will likely become law school 2.0 if you haven't noticed. Try not to waste more life or time studying a subject if you're not truly passionate and talented at it.

Make your own luck.

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[PolarPop]

My parents read me chicken little when I was a kid.

 

[PharFromNormal]

Misleading title.

I think many in settings that have "clinical" pharmacy duties, that there is still some expectation in which they will still do some type of dispensing. The pharmacist involved in dispensing is generally currently a "need to have." The pharmacist doing the clinical duties is a "nice to have."

If one can't do the other some people might be in for a slap of reality into what's important to their employer. Also, fundamental pharmacy law and policy change would be necessary to delineate safe and appropriate medication use away from the dispensing pharmacist... You know because the clinical things of checking drug interactions/performing DUR, counseling patients on side effects, answering their obscure questions and calling patients due for a refill in the name of "adherence" would now be solely the responsibility of a different, clinical pharmacist.

 

[rxpert]

My parents read me chicken little when I was a kid.[/QUOTE. Don't worry, someone will stop by to feed you soon...

 

[genesis09]

It's just a bunch of academic types writing an article for a journal. It means absolutely nothing because this is not coming from the NABP/ACPE. Those are the ones who matter when it comes to licensing/accreditation.

 

[rxpert]

Misleading title.

I think many in settings that have "clinical" pharmacy duties, that there is still some expectation in which they will still do some type of dispensing. The pharmacist involved in dispensing is generally currently a "need to have." The pharmacist doing the clinical duties is a "nice to have."

If one can't do the other some people might be in for a slap of reality into what's important to their employer. Also, fundamental pharmacy law and policy change would be necessary to delineate safe and appropriate medication use away from the dispensing pharmacist... You know because the clinical things of checking drug interactions/performing DUR, counseling patients on side effects, answering their obscure questions and calling patients due for a refill in the name of "adherence" would now be solely the responsibility of a different, clinical pharmacist.

True, but would you have read and responded if the title was accurate?

 

[PharmlyDoc]

I feel that a bachelors degree should be a requirement to apply to pharmacy school. The pharmd is considered a terminal degree, just as a masters degree for PA's is a terminal degree, yet a bachelors is required to apply to PA school.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Long story short, a designation will be made between pharmacists that dispense (B.S. Pharm.) and those that don't (Pharm.D.)...again (research pharmacy pre-2006).

Yawn, I'll believe it when I see it. If this were true, then BS is the way to go, because probably at least 90% of employed pharmacists are doing dispensing. Many, many jobs are a combination of clinical/dispensing (and as someone already pointed out, ALL dispensing requires clinical knowledge in order for it to be safe dispensing.) There are extremely few clinical only jobs, and as much as academia wants to pretend that isn't the truth, it is the truth.

 

[deleted158872]

I feel that a bachelors degree should be a requirement to apply to pharmacy school. The pharmd is considered a terminal degree, just as a masters degree for PA's is a terminal degree, yet a bachelors is required to apply to PA school.

nooooooooooope
Bachelor is not required for PA school.

why would you push for more schooling?
what would you get out in the end?
Pharmacy should AT MOST be a Master degree.
there's little difference between RPh and PharmDs;
the difference is that schools want more of your money, so they pushed for a "doctorate"

 

[Jibby321]

nooooooooooope
Bachelor is not required for PA school.

why would you push for more schooling?
what would you get out in the end?
Pharmacy should AT MOST be a Master degree.
there's little difference between RPh and PharmDs;
the difference is that schools want more of your money, so they pushed for a "doctorate"

PharmDs are Rphs.

 

[MatCauthon]

BS is definitely back.... in this article

 

[Rouelle]

PharmDs are Rphs.

But Rphs are not necessarily PharmDs

 

[BidingMyTime]

But Rphs are not necessarily PharmDs

PharmD's have 1 more year of schooling than BS'ers (OK 2 years more than some of the old fogies who are of retirement age but aren't retiring.) In no other field does 1 - 2 more years of school get you a doctorate.

 

[PharFromNormal]

True, but would you have read and responded if the title was accurate?

I had actually already read this before you posted, so yes.

 

[SClENCE]

I knew the designation of the pharmacy degree when it changed to a Pharm D, but what exactly is the difference between this the education that older pharmacists have? Is the B.S. Pharm just a 4 year degree that was grandfathered in when the Pharm D became a requirement?

 

[gwarm01]

This isn't the first time someone has posted this article, and it remains just as much a fevered dream of academia now as it was then. These are the same people who think the time is ripe to begin training PGY3 pharmacists for a world that doesn't want or need them. Producing supply in hopes that demand will eventually appear, while these overly trained pharmacists struggle to find staffing positions, entering the workforce with an overly inflated since of worth and skill.

I know I sound incredibly bitter, but academia is taking these students for a wild ride.

 

[Rouelle]

PharmD's have 1 more year of schooling than BS'ers (OK 2 years more than some of the old fogies who are of retirement age but aren't retiring.) In no other field does 1 - 2 more years of school get you a doctorate.

I fully agree. I was simply arguing semantics/minutiae.

 

[TonyRx]

PharmDs are Rphs.

Not to split hairs, but this isn't accurate. Obtaining a PharmD only means you have completed pharmacy school and graduated. That doesn't automatically make you a Registered Pharmacist (RPh). One still has to sit and pass their Licensure exams before they become Registered/Licensed. But of course, >90% of PharmD's are RPh's, while the small remaining percentage either failed their exams, never took them, changed careers, etc, etc.

 

[Jibby321]

Not to split hairs, but this isn't accurate. Obtaining a PharmD only means you have completed pharmacy school and graduated. That doesn't automatically make you a Registered Pharmacist (RPh). One still has to sit and pass their Licensure exams before they become Registered/Licensed. But of course, >90% of PharmD's are RPh's, while the small remaining percentage either failed their exams, never took them, changed careers, etc, etc.

Practicing pharmDs are Rphs. Better?

 

[PharmacistReb]

So I've read countless questions about the future of pharmacy and sincerely hope this article can help a current student.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/841383

Long story short, a designation will be made between pharmacists that dispense (B.S. Pharm.) and those that don't (Pharm.D.)...again (research pharmacy pre-2006).

Stressing and developing your cognitive abilities will be of the utmost importance, as many dispensing will be replaced with automated machines and/or "Supertechs."

Regardless, extra credentials, residencies, and fellowships may not save or support you while paying off loans.

Consider connecting the dots on your own and pursue another path outside of pharmacy for future, stable employment. Alternatively, simply start and scale a business idea with those first few paychecks.

Pharmacy school will likely become law school 2.0 if you haven't noticed. Try not to waste more life or time studying a subject if you're not truly passionate and talented at it.

Make your own luck.

No state legislature is going to pass legislation to radically reduce pharmacists' roles. In fact, the complete opposite is happening as pharmacy lobby has gotten many states to pass more progressive forms of pharmacy practice recognition. Congress certainly isn't going to have a bipartisan bill that reduces pharmacist's functions or allows for super machines. This is not going to happen. The APhA and ASHP have a pretty good stake in Washington politics and no legislator is going to spend political capital on the role of the pharmacist in America.

 

[SClENCE]

This article is idiotic

 

[PharFromNormal]

Practicing pharmDs are Rphs. Better?

Better but still not technically true in all instances.

Legally practicing pharmDs are Rphs. If you don't renew your license and continue to work hoping no one finds out or you are just ignorant, you're still a practicing pharmD but not an rph.

 

[Jibby321]

Better but still not technically true in all instances.

Legally practicing pharmDs are Rphs. If you don't renew your license and continue to work hoping no one finds out or you are just ignorant, you're still a practicing pharmD but not an rph.

Where I work we have to have our license numbers reported monthly with expiration date. I would hope it wouldn't be that easy to do what you said.

But I think you are just arguing semantics here.

 

[PharFromNormal]

Where I work we have to have our license numbers reported monthly with expiration date. I would hope it wouldn't be that easy to do what you said.

But I think you are just arguing semantics here.

Not everyone works where you work...

Found this in literally one Google search... Granted I would assume based on how long it was going on it was a bpharm not a pharmD

http://www.wthr.com/story/7166644/pharmacist-arrested-for-practicing-without-license

 

[OmiPharmD]

I knew the designation of the pharmacy degree when it changed to a Pharm D, but what exactly is the difference between this the education that older pharmacists have? Is the B.S. Pharm just a 4 year degree that was grandfathered in when the Pharm D became a requirement?

Hey Science,
I went to school when both degrees were offered. The curriculum was the same until 2nd semester 5th year.
At that point the future BSPharms did 3 rotations 2nd semester and graduated.
The future PharmDs had a semester of didactic coursework instead. Then they did a 6th year completing 8 rotations total and graduated the following May from their BSPharm classmates.
I have met only 1 4 year pharmacy graduate in my career that I am aware of and he retired many years ago.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

Hey Science,
I went to school when both degrees were offered. The curriculum was the same until 2nd semester 5th year.
At that point the future BSPharms did 3 rotations 2nd semester and graduated.
The future PharmDs had a semester of didactic coursework instead. Then they did a 6th year completing 8 rotations total and graduated the following May from their BSPharm classmates.
I have met only 1 4 year pharmacy graduate in my career that I am aware of and he retired many years ago.

Me too, choice of 5 year Bachelors or PharmD. You decided which one you were doing at the end of 4th year. A lot of the students who were failing out of school did PharmD instead of B.S. because it was the only way they could pass.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Me too, choice of 5 year Bachelors or PharmD. You decided which one you were doing at the end of 4th year. A lot of the students who were failing out of school did PharmD instead of B.S. because it was the only way they could pass.

Same when I went, in my school the ones who went the Pharm D route, were the ones who had never ever worked in a pharmacy, and wanted to prolong their schooling as much as possible to delay having to enter the real working world. (the other exception was foreign students who said the Pharm D would be more recognized in their home country....or maybe they just wanted to prolong their time in the US.)

 

[BidingMyTime]

Not everyone works where you work...
Found this in literally one Google search... Granted I would assume based on how long it was going on it was a bpharm not a pharmD
http://www.wthr.com/story/7166644/pharmacist-arrested-for-practicing-without-license

This is the 2nd story I've heard about a pharmacist practicing without a license, I forget the details of the first story, but the guy had actually been retired for a couple of years, and then was caught up in a lawsuit over an RX he had filled when working, and it came to light that he wasn't actually licensed when he filled the RX.

Similiarly, I remember hearing about a tech here in IL who worked for many, many years without a license (she did not have a high school degree, so was ineligible to obtain a license.) She had also forged a license for herself on the computer.

So yeah, licenses hanging on the wall look good, but if no one ever actually checks their status on-line.....

 

[Guilded_Age]

I could take any bs on in a fight and win. And that's something you can bet your bottom dollar on.

 

[SUNNY73]

I knew the designation of the pharmacy degree when it changed to a Pharm D, but what exactly is the difference between this the education that older pharmacists have? Is the B.S. Pharm just a 4 year degree that was grandfathered in when the Pharm D became a requirement?

There is no difference...maybe we have more wisdom with the B.S. degree. No difference indeed...now they can't even find decent jobs!

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

There is no difference...maybe we have more wisdom with the B.S. degree. No difference indeed...now they can't even find decent jobs!

Facebook is leaking again

 

[wagrxm2000]

Why exactly was this thread brought back?