"Are Pharmacists Real Doctors" q/a session

[Mongoos150]

I found this thread online, seems some doctors don't have much respect for PharmDs...

Here

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[Mongoos150]

This thread is even worse. I love the line "A monkey could put your pills in a bottle and dispense them." I cannot comprehend how ignorant some people can be...

"Pharmacists. Why?"

 

[pharmforme]

I found this thread online, seems some doctors don't have much respect for PharmDs...

Here

No offense to OP, but who cares? Shouldn't we be more concerned about how patients view us than physicians?? Do you think physicians sit around and wonder if PharmD's don't respect them? Doubtful...

This seems to be a recurring theme around here and it strikes me as odd. Besides, IMHO respect is never recieved if you appear desperate for it, if you know what I mean...I'd like to state that more eloquently, but it's 5 am and I haven't slept all night. I must've been worried about what all those MD's will think of me.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Eh, whatever. Sometimes I wonder who the hell gave half of these idiot physicians a medical license, too.

 

[crossjb]

This thread is even worse. I love the line "A monkey could put your pills in a bottle and dispense them." I cannot comprehend how ignorant some people can be...

"Pharmacists. Why?"

This thread's not that bad at all. It was started by one guy who has his own preconceived notions about pharmacists based on a poor personal experience of his. You can't please everyone.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I remember when I was a p-1 the older guys would talk about how none of this matters and I was kind of reluctant to go along with them.

I get it now. It takes the realization that science is more than some ******* that thinks something about you. Who cares what some guys in a car forum say, or if some pissant physician is obssessed with his own opinion. Not me, that's who. Living for prestige is ******ed.

 

[DownonthePharm]

No offense to OP, but who cares? Shouldn't we be more concerned about how patients view us than physicians?? Do you think physicians sit around and wonder if PharmD's don't respect them? Doubtful...

This seems to be a recurring theme around here and it strikes me as odd. Besides, IMHO respect is never recieved if you appear desperate for it, if you know what I mean...I'd like to state that more eloquently, but it's 5 am and I haven't slept all night. I must've been worried about what all those MD's will think of me.

It is important how patients view us, but doctors more so, because their attitudes are reflected to our patients, and their bad attitudes hinderances to proper medical care.

A lot of doctors dont see pharmacists as part of their medical team. They see a pharmacist as doing a job a monkey can do while we call and harass them over seeming stupid questions. Yes, they know what they MEANT to write on the prescription, but was that what they actually wrote? Then when a pharmacist does their job to try to protect the patient they get harassed by the doctor or their staff.

OK, this is a generalization, but many doctors have rather...well developed egos. That is understandable and often needed when you deal with life or death decisions, but pharmacists exist in large part to cover their a$$es, and I think that bothers rather than pleases them, because every time we call, we are pointing out that they are human.

 

[Mongoos150]

All very true points, good input guys. I could care less what some idiot thinks about my job, we all know the profession carries great self-satisfaction in providing better patient care for *everyone* while being an extremely solid and fun (to me) job. Seems silly what someone unrelated to the field thinks

 

[kellia]

You know, I'd love to be able to respond to the first thread. Again and again this topic has come up on this forum. I think that ignorant people really have trouble distinguishing between the terms "doctor" and "physician".

 

[Mongoos150]

I agree. Do pharmacists (regularly) refer to themselves as Dr. X? Excuse my ignorance, but I'm curious.

 

[patmcd]

I'd say generally not, mostly due to people's confusion of doctor and physician. Although in an academic setting I suppose they might, or at least their students would call them Dr. whatever.

 

[kellia]

I think it depends what kind of setting you're in. In academia, I would say yes... but I don't plan on introducing myself as Dr. Kellia at parties after I graduate! I believe that titles should only be used when appropriate.

 

[insipid1979]

I cannot comprehend how ignorant some people can be...

It is also funny that the people who say this usually don't even have a college degree...yet they are quick to put somebody down who went to college for at least 6 years.

 

[JustTiff]

This thread is even worse. I love the line "A monkey could put your pills in a bottle and dispense them." I cannot comprehend how ignorant some people can be...

"Pharmacists. Why?"

LOL, those were interesting to read. It's almost like high school and which clique is better than which. I don't understand why everyone has to hate on everyone. It seems like the whole "keeping up with the Joneses" but in college. My degree is better than YOUR degree, lol. I too love the "A monkey could put your pills in a bottle and dispense them". I sure wouldn't want to go to his pharmacy. Thanks for sharing these links.

 

[JustTiff]

I think it depends what kind of setting you're in. In academia, I would say yes... but I don't plan on introducing myself as Dr. Kellia at parties after I graduate! I believe that titles should only be used when appropriate.

What about your mail, like magazine subscriptions? Will you mark Ms/Mrs or Dr as your title? Just curious, like a poll I guess, lol.

 

[insipid1979]

What about your mail, like magazine subscriptions? Will you mark Ms/Mrs or Dr as your title? Just curious, like a poll I guess, lol.

I hear charities bug you a lot more though if you use Dr. for checks and other stuff. You are definetely able to though.

 

[HABANERO4ME]

I would only use: Your first name your last name for any mailing purpose.. unless if it is a publication, I would use my first name and last name then Pharm.D

 

[dgroulx]

Once you get out into hospital pharmacy, you will see that physicians rely on pharmacists. When we write recommendations for a therapuetic change, they change the med 95% of the time. If you want respect, go hospital not retail.

 

[kellia]

What about your mail, like magazine subscriptions? Will you mark Ms/Mrs or Dr as your title? Just curious, like a poll I guess, lol.

haha, I hadn't thought of that, but I prefer not to use a title for stuff like that anyway. Mrs. just makes me seem/feel old!! I would probably just stick with my first and last name.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Eh, whatever. Sometimes I wonder who the hell gave half of these idiot physicians a medical license, too.

This is too true...


Today I got a script dated 3/30/06 from the local university's family medicine clinic. There are 1,000,001 medical residents working there. It was for:


Methfermin, 750
BID


So, I think I know what the doctor wanted, but I can't decipher the signature anyway so I have to call. Plus, "methfermin" doesn't come in 750 but "methfermin ER" does.


At least the drug name and SIG was legible. So I could observe the horrible spelling with no difficulty. Too bad the signature looked like a caterpillar.

 

[kristakoch]

This is too true...


Today I got a script dated 3/30/06 from the local university's family medicine clinic. There are 1,000,001 medical residents working there. It was for:


Methfermin, 750
BID


So, I think I know what the doctor wanted, but I can't decipher the signature anyway so I have to call. Plus, "methfermin" doesn't come in 750 but "methfermin ER" does.


At least the drug name and SIG was legible. So I could observe the horrible spelling with no difficulty. Too bad the signature looked like a caterpillar.

That is freaking hilarous! (and sadly happens way too often). Thanks for the good laugh, esp about the signature as a caterpiller, I can just picture it

 

[ndearwater]

Yes pharmacists are "real" doctors. No they aren't physicians. It is sort of odd how no one questions the validity of the doctorates earned by other non-physician professionals. Oh well.
BTW some of the most arrogant MDs come into the pharmacy and with huge egos! But we do have a couple that are super nice and friendly. What can you do? Just respect yourself and others will follow suit.

 

[Tyrius]

I don't think anyone has adressed this yet but What is a doctor?

 

[patmcd]

I don't think anyone has adressed this yet but What is a doctor?

In the general sense they are an expert in whatever field their degree is in.

 

[pharmforme]

Yes pharmacists are "real" doctors. No they aren't physicians. It is sort of odd how no one questions the validity of the doctorates earned by other non-physician professionals. Oh well.
BTW some of the most arrogant MDs come into the pharmacy and with huge egos! But we do have a couple that are super nice and friendly. What can you do? Just respect yourself and others will follow suit.

Well said

 

[sweetemo]

Usually when the general public talks about a "doctor" they mean physician, which a pharmacist isn't. But in a professional setting, usually people are called by their titles, such as Ph.D.'s being called "Dr. XXX." But I think pharmacists generally aren't using the title if they hold a Pharm.D., even lawyers have a Juris Doctorate but they don't usually get called by the Dr. title. Well maybe this generation of pharmacists should start a change!!! We should start some marketing of the concept, maybe though unions and the media, and advertising!

Hey I was pretty excited when they had that one woman on Desperate Housewives having an affair with the local pharmacist our profession needs more media exposure

 

[MuraRX]

I found this thread online, seems some doctors don't have much respect for PharmDs...

Here

Sounds like the physicians are angry that they "worked so hard" during residencies and make the same $$ or less than pharmacists.

Whatever---the important part is that you are happy with your chosen profession so that it will reflect on your work and be beneficial to your patients. That's the bottom line. Everyone else is just bitter.

 

[beccala33]

Hey I was pretty excited when they had that one woman on Desperate Housewives having an affair with the local pharmacist our profession needs more media exposure

Did you happen to watch those episodes?!? HE WAS A TOTAL PSYCHO! Some bad publicity if I ever saw some.

 

[JustTiff]

haha, I hadn't thought of that, but I prefer not to use a title for stuff like that anyway. Mrs. just makes me seem/feel old!! I would probably just stick with my first and last name.

I know what you mean, I always feel old putting Mrs. It was just a thought, lol.

 

[JustTiff]

I hear charities bug you a lot more though if you use Dr. for checks and other stuff. You are definetely able to though.

Ugh, I hadn't thought about that at all, but I can definitely see that happening.

 

[JustTiff]

I would only use: Your first name your last name for any mailing purpose.. unless if it is a publication, I would use my first name and last name then Pharm.D

That sounds like a good plan.

 

[JustTiff]

Did you happen to watch those episodes?!? HE WAS A TOTAL PSYCHO! Some bad publicity if I ever saw some.

He WAS a total PSYCHO!! He scared me, he looked so creepy.

By the way, anyone want to tell me how to reply to several posts at the same time because I've seen it on here but I have no clue how to do it???

 

[sweetemo]

woah really??? i didn't see those! i only saw one where i guess they just started being involved

Did you happen to watch those episodes?!? HE WAS A TOTAL PSYCHO! Some bad publicity if I ever saw some.

 

[AquaMissy]

Only open minded people really knows what pharmacists are trained to do. Narrow minded people have limited comprehension as to what knowledge clinical pharmacists can provide. Retail pharmacist positions really gave you a mis-perception. pharmacist are technically not hired to fill medication as you put it like a monkey. They are their to prevent adverse reactions, implement interventions when DOCTORS prescribe what they often dont know too much about. Chain pharmacy corporates dont care if that therapeutic managements are implemented. what they care is that a licensed a pharmacist is on dutie which enables the pharmacy to open for business and that drugs are filled as quickly as possible as if the profession is to flip hamburgers all day.

 

[eNOS]

I think that it is also worth noting that neither MDs or PharmDs are terminal degrees like Ph.D.s. So logically, shouldn't the term "doctor" really bring to mind a Ph.D.

All in all, though, who cares. Respect is not in a title it is in how well you conduct yourself as a member of society.

 

[RxRob]

This question has an interesting history. The original question decades ago was "are medical doctors really doctors?". The Doctor term was reserved for terminal degrees in all fields. MD's actually hijacked this title in order to increase respect for a professional degree, so the answer to the question at the time was actually "no".

We are simply initiating this period for our field and advancing the education to match the expectation.

An urgent care facility is essentially the same type of business as a pharmacy once was, however, our field's decision to sell bread and Muscle Magazine and cigarettes while you wait will continue to hurt our reputation.

If you can appreciate the field of pharmacy as compared to many other jobs you could have, then retail may be for you. If you are going to compare your job to a doctor for any length of time, you'll drive yourself crazy with contempt and regret. Work in a hospital environment and be part of a true medical team and show others what you know.

Anyway, this argument is best reserved between doctors and nurses. I feel sort of silly for even allowing it to surface with us.

When you graduate, your title ceases to be Mr. or Ms. and becomes Dr. as a matter of fact. NOT using it is as pointless and innaccurate as saying "ain't" because you're in the company of hillbillies. You should know better. On balance, you should also accept that this makes you no better than anyone else as a person.

If your accomplishments bring you guilt or embarrassment, you should seek to accomplish less or spend more time inspiring your usual crowd to aspire to more than they believe they can achieve.