Pharmacists vs. Physician Assistants

[pharmerboi]

Retail is not the only setting for a pharmacist.

It is already hard enough nowadays to get a retail position. Hospital jobs for pharmacist must be impossible to obtain

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mustang sally]

It is already hard enough nowadays to get a retail position. Hospital jobs for pharmacist must be impossible to obtain

It was not impossible for us 2012 graduates. However, we all had to move to wherever (and I do mean wherever) to get our hospital positions. Plus be prepared for the fact that if you do not have residency, you will most likely be a staff pharmacist and not a clinical pharmacist...not that there's anything wrong with that!

 

[PharMed2016]

I am also in the same dilemma as to pursue PA or Pharmacy. I had volunteered at a retail pharmacy before and I convinced myself that pharmacy is not for me. I like that PA get to work one-on-one and interact with patients and also it is only a 2-year program. I really hope that I can volunteer/shadow and see how a PA's working environment is like. However, my problem with PA is that I need to get clinical hours and I am not sure how do I go about to obtain these? Should I get certified and be a medical assistant or be an EMT? Current PA please share some tips or advices! Also, it is interesting to see the transition of this thread from pro-pharmacy in 2007 to leaning more toward PA recently. Is pharmacy really that saturated?

Very much so. A few of my friends are still looking for jobs. Granted they are geographically restricted.

I just want to point something out... everyone on this forum talks about money... money... money. After a few years everyone will start to realize that while money is attractive... it is not the end all. Its what makes you happy at the end of the day that really matters.

 

[dahwsi]

Poor and happy rather than rich and miserable.

You can quote me if you like.

Sent from my PC36100 using SDN Mobile

 

[AlPacino]

It is already hard enough nowadays to get a retail position. Hospital jobs for pharmacist must be impossible to obtain

Impossible? I have 2 friend pharmacist that graduated last year and none work in retail. One got a job in the hospital and the other works in a compounding pharmacy. How? They both did a year of residency. One did it in the hospital she works at now. Again, if you work hard enough, retail is not the only option.

 

[pharm B]

However, my problem with PA is that I need to get clinical hours and I am not sure how do I go about to obtain these? Should I get certified and be a medical assistant or be an EMT? Current PA please share some tips or advices!

You might have to yell for them to hear this request, this being the pharmacy area and all.

 

[Sparda29]

PA = a physician's bitch

 

[hckyplyr]

PA = a physician's bitch

So I guess that would make you the PAs bitch, since you are filling their scripts or plugging in their orders.....If you guys really think doctors check on PAs all the time, you truly know nothing about the medical field...stay in your little pharmacy bubble, you will be safer there.

 

[Sparda29]

So I guess that would make you the PAs bitch, since you are filling their scripts or plugging in their orders.....If you guys really think doctors check on PAs all the time, you truly know nothing about the medical field...stay in your little pharmacy bubble, you will be safer there.

Doctor's kinda need to sign off on everything a PA prescribes.

Whenever I go to see the doctor. Doctor asks for my chief complaint. Does like a 30 second evaluation and then sends in the PA to run the tests, take blood, and tells them what to prescribe.

Filling something =/= PA/doctor's bitch

 

[AlPacino]

Doctor's kinda need to sign off on everything a PA prescribes.

Whenever I go to see the doctor. Doctor asks for my chief complaint. Does like a 30 second evaluation and then sends in the PA to run the tests, take blood, and tells them what to prescribe.

Filling something =/= PA/doctor's bitch

Not every Doctor. I see presprictons signed off by PAs in the pharmacy I work at all the time. This includes some control medications as well.

 

[hckyplyr]

II see where you're coming from, as I've seen a few like that too (they were fresh new grads though). I'm sure some (like in your experience) have that type of role. In my 7 years of working with them at 6 hospitals and about 20 clinics, they see all their own patients, ask a doc a question maybe once a month give or take, and work completely on their own. When people say the doctor "checks" over all their stuff, that's crazy. In 95% of the cases, PAs are solo. The physician signature is automatically put at the end of the dictation by the computer, as it is for NPs (I live in NY). The only role where I would agree they "assist" more than anything, is surgery.

 

[hckyplyr]

I noticed you live in NYC though. I heard PA salary sucks there because of all the school saturation, but it's so desirable to live, PAs take the low pay ($80s/yr). One of my buddies pulls in $180,000/yr and the other $300,000 (only because his doc made him a partner). These numbers are anomalies, by there are some great jobs out there. All other PAs I know are over $100k....it's a great profession and I have respect for their knowledge. You seem to have this complex against them though. Yea, they work for a doctor and have a boss, just like you work for someone and have a boss....No difference......But opinions are like a**holes, everyones has one.

 

[PharMed2016]

Poor and happy rather than rich and miserable.

You can quote me if you like.

Sent from my PC36100 using SDN Mobile

Quoted. 80K vs. 100k is not poor by any means.

 

[PharMed2016]

Not every Doctor. I see prescriptions signed off by PAs in the pharmacy I work at all the time. This includes some control medications as well.

That's right. PAs do not require a physician co-signature for OP Rx and prescribe CIII-V and benzos. However, they must have the name of the supervising physician on their ONYS Rx pad.

However, interestingly enough for IP, their orders do need to be countersigned by their supervising physician.

 

[lisinopril]

PA has final saying at the hospital, Pharmacists don't. Sorry, but this is the truth.

****This message is approved by a pharmacist***

 

[UES Girl]

PA has final saying at the hospital, Pharmacists don't. Sorry, but this is the truth.

****This message is approved by a pharmacist***

Can you guys be mature about this and not argue who has a bigger e-penis. Comparing two absolutely different professions with absolutely different scopes of practice, absolutely different clinical duties, absolutely different clinical responsibilities is very "sdn-like" in the maturity department, but I'd expect better from doctorate level trained professionals.

 

[NickW9682]

I work in a hospital and I dont think PA's get much respect (even though thats just coming from redneck community college nurses). PA's will make about as much as a NP but with less authority. CRNA's will make a lot more than pharmacists however.

 

[NickW9682]

.

 

[lisinopril]

In the real world: Pharmacists take orders from PAs, not the other way around...although the degree is a PharmD vs a non doctorate degree....Sad, but true. Nurses also take order from PAs and get intimiated by PAs. Nurses don't get intimiated by Pharmacists...Often when I make rounds at my hospital, nurses call down pharmacy basement and yell at the pharmacists....You never see a nurse dare to raise voice at PAs.

 

[mustang sally]

In the real world: Pharmacists take orders from PAs, not the other way around...although the degree is a PharmD vs a non doctorate degree....Sad, but true. Nurses also take order from PAs and get intimiated by PAs. Nurses don't get intimiated by Pharmacists...Often when I make rounds at my hospital, nurses call down pharmacy basement and yell at the pharmacists....You never see a nurse dare to raise voice at PAs.

So true, I dislike dealing with PAs most of all. They seem to have a major attitude and always talk down to me.

Maybe I have just had some bad experiences so far, but I will take dealing with the nurse/MD/DO any day over a PA. Kind of funny that a physician will talk to me like an equal but the PAs don't

 

[lisinopril]

It's everywhere...not just your place. That's how it is. PA looks down at everyone except MDs. One time we had a new PAs in emergency room coming down to basement and asked for a motrin like this "I need a motrin now...my patients are waiting in ER". One of the pharmacist thought it was an MD and handed him the pill. Later, we found out he was just a PA..lol..,.

 

[lisinopril]

Page 4?

 

[Sparda29]

It's everywhere...not just your place. That's how it is. PA looks down at everyone except MDs. One time we had a new PAs in emergency room coming down to basement and asked for a motrin like this "I need a motrin now...my patients are waiting in ER". One of the pharmacist thought it was an MD and handed him the pill. Later, we found out he was just a PA..lol..,.

Part of me would want to make the PA wait as long as possible out of spite. The other part of me would just give it for the patients sake, since I've been a patient in the ER before.

 

[owlegrad]

Page 4?

No

 

[hckyplyr]

That sucks you guys have had these experiences, no wonder why you sound so jaded with your opinion towards PAs. I've had some great experiences, they have all been down to earth, humble and work well with us. Lets be honest though, of course there are some jerk PAs out there, but for every one of them, I can personally name a MD, NP, pharmacist, nurse, janitor,etc that are huge tools and treat people like sh** too.

 

[pharm B]

that sucks you guys have had these experiences, no wonder why you sound so jaded with your opinion towards pas. I've had some great experiences, they have all been down to earth, humble and work well with us. Lets be honest though, of course there are some jerk pas out there, but for every one of them, i can personally name a md, np, pharmacist, nurse, janitor,etc that are huge tools and treat people like sh** too.

+1!

 

[mustang sally]

That sucks you guys have had these experiences, no wonder why you sound so jaded with your opinion towards PAs. I've had some great experiences, they have all been down to earth, humble and work well with us. Lets be honest though, of course there are some jerk PAs out there, but for every one of them, I can personally name a MD, NP, pharmacist, nurse, janitor,etc that are huge tools and treat people like sh** too.

This is true. I don't want to sound like I'm bashing all PAs, as I believe everyone in the health care system should work together for the benefit of the patient.

It just seems like I've had a higher ratio of bad:good interactions with PAs vs. other health care professionals, for whatever reason that may be.

 

[Aminex]

I approve of this message.
and plus, I like old threads. It shows you how some ppl here matured and grew by reading their old post, and the ones they post. Plus you see the mentality of pharmacists and pharmacy students back in the day, compared to how people think now.

I thought the same thing. There seemed to be quite a bit of hubris among the pharm folks in 2007 that is in short supply now.

 

[owlegrad]

I thought the same thing. There seemed to be quite a bit of hubris among the pharm folks in 2007 that is in short supply now.

We have a short supply of overbearing arrogance?

 

[NickW9682]

From what I have seen PA's dont really get much respect (from nurses) who apparently think they are doctors. PA isnt a bad career choice...definitely better than RN. Most RN's are complete and utter redneck ******s anyways. They all have horrible attitudes and even the NP's barely make as much as a PA. CRNA's are a different breed...but they make bank, much more than pharmacists.

 

[owlegrad]

From what I have seen PA's dont really get much respect (from nurses) who apparently think they are doctors. PA isnt a bad career choice...definitely better than RN. Most RN's are complete and utter redneck ******s anyways. They all have horrible attitudes and even the NP's barely make as much as a PA. CRNA's are a different breed...but they make bank, much more than pharmacists.

Wow, not my experience at all. Only ever met a few bad apples personally.

 

[dahwsi]

Quoted. 80K vs. 100k is not poor by any means.

I apologize, I should have explained my self

What I eluded to in my post was the fact that I would rather be doing something that I actually enjoy for the rest of the life I have left after school, rather than the fact that I can rake in 100k+ but dislike going to work every day. Granted, we all need a stable income, but choosing a profession solely for the money is not the way to go... in my honest opinion.

Oh, and yes, I do know that making "80k vs 100k is not poor by any means". Though, it is worth mentioning that the value of the dollar is decreasing day by day, so 100k or 200k in 2012 is not going to be 100k or 200k in 2020. Jus' Sayin'.

 

[FCMike11]

All PA schools ARE master degrees.
Extremely weird comparison in regards to patient interaction ( I guess in exception to retail work).
If want to work with clinical diagnoses, make rounds, progress notes on patients, physical exams==med school or PA.

 

[FCMike11]

From what I have seen PA's dont really get much respect (from nurses) who apparently think they are doctors. PA isnt a bad career choice...definitely better than RN. Most RN's are complete and utter redneck ******s anyways. They all have horrible attitudes and even the NP's barely make as much as a PA. CRNA's are a different breed...but they make bank, much more than pharmacists.

Are you joking me?....."Most RN's are complete and utter redneck ******s anyways" You are an extremely ignorant (Pre-pharmacy?), your title says pre-pharm but you act like you have really been in a clinical setting.

RN (2 yrs) vs pa (6 yrs) CANT COMPARE THEM, totally different scopes.

NP vs PA pretty much seen as equals clinically and the ceiling hits in approximately the same place (as far as $$$).

Yeah but what is your freaking damage man?

 

[FCMike11]

It's everywhere...not just your place. That's how it is. PA looks down at everyone except MDs. One time we had a new PAs in emergency room coming down to basement and asked for a motrin like this "I need a motrin now...my patients are waiting in ER". One of the pharmacist thought it was an MD and handed him the pill. Later, we found out he was just a PA..lol..,.

Im confused, instead of calling you for a chute, he came down and said he needed it now....he works in the ER so you have no clue on the circumstances why he needed the medication (hyperthermia?).

But yeah he is "just a PA"....LOL I agree with some posters below, so JADED.

 

[FCMike11]

Doctor's kinda need to sign off on everything a PA prescribes.

Whenever I go to see the doctor. Doctor asks for my chief complaint. Does like a 30 second evaluation and then sends in the PA to run the tests, take blood, and tells them what to prescribe.

Filling something =/= PA/doctor's bitch

hckyplyr- is right, you are living in your own bubble.

Doctors don't actually sign off on everything....a script pad with the MD's name doesn't mean the doctor signs off on everything (or anything) the PA does.

In rural ER's or city ER trauma's 4-5 go all through a NP or PA, only requirement (here) is something like 2-4 chart checks a month.

 

[aqwerty]

I spent two years in medical school and realize I did not like it. I want to apply to pharmacy school but I am worried if I will get in. Also my medical school transcript has some courses I did not do so well on. What are my chances . Also I am an older student will that affect me? Any ideas what I need to do?