APPE student needing to switch career path from retail. Any advice?

[phrmthrong17]

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Long story short I'm not able to work retail/outpatient like I had always planned for myself due to physical exhaustion from standing on my feet for too long. This is more so due to a disability from childhood that has never really negatively effected me until I started my APPE year while working 40 hr work weeks. I'm afraid if I step into a retail position and start working 10 hour shifts it will worsen my condition and lower my quality of life significantly. What are some career paths for a soon to be graduate that involve less constant standing? Of note going the residency/clinical route is not something that interests me. What does interest me is somehow being able to work from home, finding a way to earn short term work contracts in retail in a consistent manner (ie the contracts can be spaced apart far enough to allow my body to recuperate) but still be available to me in a consistent manner so I don't go through periods of unemployment for too long, working in an office setting (health insurance/pharma industry). Am I missing anything? As of now all my APPEs are in retail/outpatient so I'm toughing it out as best I can but I can't see myself being to physically handle the workload for the rest of my life. So what are my options guys?

 

[PharmtoCS]

Cite your disability and try to work with employers to get them to allow you to sit while at work, at least for part of the time.

 

[CYP-0]

Long story short I'm not able to work retail/outpatient like I had always planned for myself due to physical exhaustion from standing on my feet for too long. This is more so due to a disability from childhood that has never really negatively effected me until I started my APPE year while working 40 hr work weeks. I'm afraid if I step into a retail position and start working 10 hour shifts it will worsen my condition and lower my quality of life significantly. What are some career paths for a soon to be graduate that involve less constant standing? Of note going the residency/clinical route is not something that interests me. What does interest me is somehow being able to work from home, finding a way to earn short term work contracts in retail in a consistent manner (ie the contracts can be spaced apart far enough to allow my body to recuperate) but still be available to me in a consistent manner so I don't go through periods of unemployment for too long, working in an office setting (health insurance/pharma industry). Am I missing anything? As of now all my APPEs are in retail/outpatient so I'm toughing it out as best I can but I can't see myself being to physically handle the workload for the rest of my life. So what are my options guys?

Looked into hospital & mail order?

You might also want to try your luck with a grocery chain (or an independent), instead of a retail giant. Relatively less physical strain conditions with the former.

 

[Wickett]

Looked into hospital & mail order?

You might also want to try your luck with a grocery chain (or an independent), instead of a retail giant. Relatively less physical strain conditions with the former.

I mean we stand in grocery retail also. I work 9.5 hr shifts often without having time for a bathroom break. It sounds like any retail is going to be an issue.

 

[beautifulrobot]

Another thing to consider is project management jobs in industry or government.

 

[PAtoPharm]

I mean we stand in grocery retail also. I work 9.5 hr shifts often without having time for a bathroom break. It sounds like any retail is going to be an issue.

Just curious, how do you go that long without using the bathroom? I drink water and diet soft drinks throughout the day and can't go 2 hours without having to go #1.

 

[Sine Cura]

If you take a dump you might end up having two customers waiting for consultation and someone calling a script in, but you can do number 1 with minimal interruption.

 

[CYP-0]

I mean we stand in grocery retail also. I work 9.5 hr shifts often without having time for a bathroom break. It sounds like any retail is going to be an issue.

I meant grocery locations that fill ~100 scripts/day on the average. They have stools in the pharmacy that the RPh can use all day, if they so desired, without a flinch or causing traffic in the rx. I write solely based on my past rotation experiences with some of them.

 

[Wickett]

I meant grocery locations that fill ~100 scripts/day on the average. They have stools in the pharmacy that the RPh can use all day, if they so desired, without a flinch or causing traffic in the rx. I write solely based on my past rotation experiences with some of them.

We are not very busy either (100-150/day). I have a stool technically, but it isn't very practical for me to use it that much. I constantly have to reach for stuff beyond my reach while seated, so it just slows me down. I only really use it when I'm putting in the order near the end of the day. Each pharmacy is different, but lower volumes usually leads to less help, and it takes a similar physical toll as when I worked at a 600/day Wags (although a lot less mental stress). From the severity of the issue OP seems to be implying, retail in general just doesn't seem like a good long term plan, imo.

 

[Wickett]

Just curious, how do you go that long without using the bathroom? I drink water and diet soft drinks throughout the day and can't go 2 hours without having to go #1.

I have always just had a big bladder, I guess. I am also a bigger guy (6' 4" and 240 lbs). There are days where I've had 2-3 bottles of water and three big energy drinks when I suddenly realize I am 7 hrs in without stopping. No one is there to keep me from going, but the time can fly when you're constantly doing something.

 

[ldiot]

If you take a dump you might end up having two customers waiting for consultation and someone calling a script in, but you can do number 1 with minimal interruption.

Lol I've had 5 people on hold at once for a pharmacist taking a dump when I was a tech and couldn't do anything, who knows if there were waiters too.