Any pharmacists from the UK or Germany?

[deleted390966]

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[BidingMyTime]

PhoenixFire, pharmacists by far, have it better in the US than any other country. I'm not sure why you are looking to change countries, but do so knowing that you will take a substantial salary decrease no matter where you go. (UK, for example, pharmacists salaries are about $40,000) Part of the reason for the lower salary, is other countries either required lesser education for their pharmacists, or the government pays for all college costs, or both.

 

[zelman]

PhoenixFire, pharmacists by far, have it better in the US than any other country. I'm not sure why you are looking to change countries, but do so knowing that you will take a substantial salary decrease no matter where you go. (UK, for example, pharmacists salaries are about $40,000) Part of the reason for the lower salary, is other countries either required lesser education for their pharmacists, or the government pays for all college costs, or both.

Actually, in Costa Rica...[search any jafx thread and insert here]

 

[deleted390966]

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[PharmyOfNone]

I don't practice in the UK, but I did look briefly at licensure a few years ago. In addition to lower pay, there is also a lengthy crossover process. IIRC, it involved 2 or 3 exams and an internship period. A friend said London in particular is an awful place to practice due to a lot of pharmacies bringing in people from part of the EU who barely speak English, but are happy to sign their name on the dotted line and take a lower wage.

 

[Eichhoernchen]

PhoenixFire, pharmacists by far, have it better in the US than any other country. I'm not sure why you are looking to change countries, but do so knowing that you will take a substantial salary decrease no matter where you go. (UK, for example, pharmacists salaries are about $40,000) Part of the reason for the lower salary, is other countries either required lesser education for their pharmacists, or the government pays for all college costs, or both.

I think you mean 40,000 pounds which is about 60,000 USD.

 

[GiovanniDiStenza]

HI Phoenix!

I'm a 3rd year pharmacy student from Germany who just happened to stumble upon your thread
a short while ago.
Now that I got some little spare time, I'd gladly give you my view on the matter 😉

First of I may drop in that I read this thread a while ago when I've been looking around to answers
as to "where the German pharmacy studies are to allocated within the world of all the different approaches
on pharmacy as an academic career".
The matter bears quite some interest to me, because I am curious about studying a semester abroad to get
some idea of what things are like in other countries - and thus what might lay ahead of us in good old Germany..

On to the question itself now!
- "can [pharmacists] work in places other than retail stores"
-> Yes. As a licensed German pharmacist you can pretty much choose from a vast variety of positions
in which to work. From what I've heard from pharmacists as well as fellow students who did some
some practicals outside of the regular retail store - it seems like German pharmacists can be
quite creative about their choice of career.
Doing practicals somewhere else than in a retail store is - at least in my current, as well as my
former university - was highly encouraged at all times.
(2 months of practicals within you firs two years of study are obligatory later on, just encouraged,
and you are only required to do follow a research program of your choice for 2 to 4 weeks depending on university).
Quick examples on where one might be able to earn his/her salary:
Hospital (pharmacy), Pharmaceutical Industry - small, medium sized companies mostly however,
sometimes in old-age's home, working at a health insurance (bad choice, just saying),
governmental supervisory authorities, food industry (as weird as it sounds, it's totally possible),
at scientific newspapers, always looking for some qualified, scientifically educated writers,
pharm rep (another bad choice right there), independent medication/ lifestyle/ (in some cases even nutrition)
management consultant, any other industry/ authority/ company that needs an licensed expert on
toxicology/ pharmacology or drugs in particular. There may be fields I haven't touched up on - just
repeating what I caught up from various sources.
Additionally it might be interesting to know that in Germany, unlike in most countries in Europe, pharmacy
do not belong to larger companies or are part of a larger chain.
There are such companies on the march but as of now they are in fact legally prohibited.
In Germany only up to 3, in some cases 4, pharmacies can work as a cooperation.
Thus a lot of of pharmacists in Germany actually own their pharmacy shop and are hence not really paid
a salary. This position is however definitively on the retreat, but today there are still quite a handful of
independent, pharmacists, being employers, not employees.

I'm gonna answer on the other topics shortly.
Hope - even though it's quite detailed - I could help you out a bit!

~