Oncology

[ethyl]

What kind of pharmacist/patient interaction is there for specialized oncology pharmacists? Do many PharmD's that specialize in oncology find themselves regretting their choice? -- especially if the pharmacist is dealing with many ALL patients with so many children affected. My interest in this field was strong until I took Hematology and found out how heart aching it can be treating patients with cancer. Although, I'd imagine the career would be very fulfilling at times too.

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[kwakster928]

What kind of pharmacist/patient interaction is there for specialized oncology pharmacists? Do many PharmD's that specialize in oncology find themselves regretting their choice? -- especially if the pharmacist is dealing with many ALL patients with so many children affected. My interest in this field was strong until I took Hematology and found out how heart aching it can be treating patients with cancer. Although, I'd imagine the career would be very fulfilling at times too.

Pharmacist at my hospital works primarliy at the out patient chemotherapy dept. as you know there is so many protocols and administration guidelines with chemo drugs. there is just so many i dont even want to go there. pharmacist's role is making sure all the administration guidelines are followed, and preparation of chemodrug was up to it's own protocols. a lot of the pharmacists do answer physician's questions regarding chemotherapy agents, and also counsel patients about chemo's side effects so they are not surprised. we win sometimes but we also lose, but there is nothing wrong with trying our best to save these patients. however, i dont think any of the pharmacists are specilized in oncology but they have been there for years, i guess they just didn't want to title after their name, but our director of pharmacy is a BSOP.

 

[mystiqx]

What kind of pharmacist/patient interaction is there for specialized oncology pharmacists? Do many PharmD's that specialize in oncology find themselves regretting their choice? -- especially if the pharmacist is dealing with many ALL patients with so many children affected. My interest in this field was strong until I took Hematology and found out how heart aching it can be treating patients with cancer. Although, I'd imagine the career would be very fulfilling at times too.

Hi ethyl
I currently work at a cancer hospital in a chemo unit, i don't work as a pharmacist, but the pharmacists there usual deal with checking and entering orders orders, verifying the drugs that are mixed (i believe the techs are responsible for mixing the chemos). I work at the outpatient facility of the hospital and I only see the pharmacists on the floor when there are rolling out a new clinical trial drug and they would come up and say hello to the patient etc, just to see how they are doing, or if there is a problem with orders i know they would pay the MD a visit but only if its the same MD doing the same thing over and over again. I can personally say it is hard working with patients with cancer, but the bright side of it, is that you meet some of the most wonderful and interesting individuals. I know i have had the pleasure of meeting many, and i know i have had to say goodbye to them as well and this may sound cold but after awhile you get use to it, you become immune to death i guess at least i am, its still sad to hear you lost another patient, but it doesn't hit you as hard (sad but true). But its still a fullfilling and rewarding experience, and if thats your field of interest i say go for it.

~M