Pharmacy Job Satisfaction/Stress Level?

[iamsolemn]

Hello, iamsolemn,

I am currently trying to find the career path that is right for me and now I have just recently discovered I will find many opportunities in the medical field which will help me develop a genuine passion for medicine. I just wonder how much stress pharmacists experience on a daily basis and how much down time they have as well. Should I pursue this field or should I look towards another one instead?

Thank you very much pharmacists!

-Solemn-

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[impatientcollegestudent]

We're not pharmacists, let alone in pharmacy school. Ask this in the pharmacy forum and the pharmacy student forum. We can't really answer these questions personally. But indirectly speaking for others and their experiences....most of the time the retail life is really stressful and terrible(and that's where everyone ends up going to tbh). Hospital is not bad but still stress obviously.


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[AHossain]

This is basically what I hear as well. But it's still better than having just a regular job...


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[Gaius Diocletianus]

Retail pharmacy is working for McDonald's except you make 6x as much. People are slightly more understanding if you are busy and can't help them in a timely manner, but you will still get yelled at, still have things thrown at you and still be treated as incompetent for things beyond your control. After all that education and schooling you still work in a drive thru..

 

[iamsolemn]

Alright, I'm just curious since the pharmacists at CVS all look very calm and relaxed. It seems as if nothing is stressing them out.

 

[Godsgirl16]

Alright, I'm just curious since the pharmacists at CVS all look very calm and relaxed. It seems as if nothing is stressing them out.

Oh heck no! I work at a cvs pharmacy and there has not been a single day where it was not busy. Ur always doing something and it's pretty stressful. We just may not show it since we're used to it.

 

[bulldog1123]

Alright, I'm just curious since the pharmacists at CVS all look very calm and relaxed. It seems as if nothing is stressing them out.

im not sure what CVS youre looking at but every CVS ive been to has been busy. High script count pharmacies are scrambling to fill while handling pick up and low script count pharmacies are understaffed so the one tech the pharmacist may have is scrambling with the pharmacist as well/

 

[deleted462159]

Alright, I'm just curious since the pharmacists at CVS all look very calm and relaxed. It seems as if nothing is stressing them out.

It's colloquially referred to as CVStress for a reason.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Software engineers / computer programmers probably experience some of the lowest stress levels. You don't have to work at a fast-food pace with the potential liability of potentially making a mistake and killing someone. Tech companies also treat you far better by providing catered gourmet meals, on-site gyms, dry cleaning, etc. whereas in pharmacy, you may be lucky to even have a lunch break, let alone a catered gourmet one. Most importantly of all, gross pay for computer programmers is as good or better, and that is without having to take out $200k+ in loans and spend an additional 4 years in school when you could be working, gaining experience, and earning money.

 

[CommyO]

Software engineers / computer programmers probably experience some of the lowest stress levels. You don't have to work at a fast-food pace with the potential liability of potentially making a mistake and killing someone. Tech companies also treat you far better by providing catered gourmet meals, on-site gyms, dry cleaning, etc. whereas in pharmacy, you may be lucky to even have a lunch break, let alone a catered gourmet one. Most importantly of all, gross pay for computer programmers is as good or better, and that is without having to take out $200k+ in loans and spend an additional 4 years in school when you could be working, gaining experience, and earning money.

OP,
You'll be lucky to grab a french fry off the ground as a pharmacist. Go to coding bootcamp. Much better outlook. We're all moving to Alaska to work 10hrs/week making 20k just enough to put all the money towards paying back loans and eating Top Ramen for the next 2 decades

 

[treytrey]

Here in Ontario, most of my pharmacist friends have been able to secure well paying jobs with good hours within 1-2 months of graduation. Oversaturation my ass.

 

[Sawah]

I'm not a pharmacist, but I've worked as a tech at CVS and kroger.

In my time of working, I've never once seen anyone throw anything at a pharmacist or a technician. I've never heard of/witnessed a pharmacist or technician being threatened. There are 5 times I can recall in my 2 years of working where people raised there voice and told us how much we sucked or said a curse word. There is sometimes attitude and huffing and puffing, but you're guaranteed to have to deal with that from someone regardless of what profession you go into. It is stressful because it is busy and a lot of time the pharmacy is understaffed, but as long as you have a good team and good communication, everyone gets out on time without any fuss. I've worked with over 20 different pharmacists, and if I recall correctly, all but 1 were satisfied with the decision they made of going into pharmacy. The two pharmacists I work with regularly love their job. They've both been working happily for 10 and 30+ years. I've worked with a handful of new grad pharmacists that didn't have a difficult time finding a job after graduation and they're living pretty well even though they're paying back loans (they went to undergrad and pharm shcool in state).


I do believe pharmacy is saturated, but I believe it's only saturated in certain states and cities. If you have an interest in software engineering or computer programming look into those as a career because I'd definitely say working in a retail pharmacy is not for everyone.