Giving back

[pharmschooler]

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I've always felt like if I had the salary I'd like to give something back to my community. I volunteer, but I've never given monetarily. I figure with a PharmD salary, I can afford to start doing a bit of giving at some point after graduation.

Have any of you thought about donations in your future? Which groups would you donate to, if you could?

I'm pretty sure I'd donate mostly to the Salvation Army. I'd also like to establish a scholarship through the local community college for graduates of their science programs who dream of going to professional school. And I probably should send some cash to the local public radio station. I figure I owe them, after all these years...😀

 

[Passion4Sci]

I donate to NPR & PBS during the big rally weeks, but actual charitable foundations? Nah, too concerned about misappropriation of funds.

 

[pharmschooler]

I donate to NPR & PBS during the big rally weeks, but actual charitable foundations? Nah, too concerned about misappropriation of funds.

I guess after volunteering with charitable organizations, this is less of a concern for me....you can also check out ratings of different groups through Charity Navigator: http://www.charitynavigator.org/

 

[type b pharmD]

this gets my vote as super-awesome thread of the year.

also consider this :

on one hand, the value of your time is likely maximized by working as a pharmacist for your employer (i mean, your time is worth $60/hr in this setting), so on the one hand cash contributions may be the most efficient use of your time.

but on the other hand, as a health professional you possess valuable skills that you could give back to the community as well.

have you thought about volunteering at a free clinic or something similar? that could be a very fulfilling and effective way to give back 🙂

For me, I would probably help out local organizations more so than national or global ones (they take a lot of your money for administrative expenses anyway). Maybe you can find a group that is trying to raise money for some local individuals who need help, like disabled people who have lost their health coverage, or someone who is trying to start a community event like a walk for cancer or something.

Dunno, just a few cents worth of my ideas.

I plan to give a lot back as well seeing that I will be earning 5x what the average american earns for putting the same amount of effort in, I feel that not giving back would be greedy and unfair. I haven't put the time into thinking about just how yet though.

 

[pharmschooler]

this gets my vote as super-awesome thread of the year.

have you thought about volunteering at a free clinic or something similar? that could be a very fulfilling and effective way to give back 🙂

I plan to give a lot back as well seeing that I will be earning 5x what the average american earns for putting the same amount of effort in, I feel that not giving back would be greedy and unfair. I haven't put the time into thinking about just how yet though.

Thank you! I do volunteer at a free clinic (and absolutely *love* it!), but I'm excited to think about the ways that volunteering as an actual pharmacist could help. It maximizes my giving by ~11x/hour! (when I compare what my current volunteer work is probably worth to the clinic)

I definitely agree with you about giving back. There's some quote about to those whom great things are given, great things are expected. I think volunteering and giving back are some of those great things.

 

[pharm B]

I'd also like to establish a scholarship through the local community college for graduates of their science programs who dream of going to professional school.

We think alike. 🙂 One of the organizations of which I'm a member recently received a sizable donation, and I was able to convince them to give out scholarships to my alma mater (CC). Once I have a real job, I plan on chipping in some set amount each year to keep the fund above 0.

but on the other hand, as a health professional you possess valuable skills that you could give back to the community as well.

have you thought about volunteering at a free clinic or something similar? that could be a very fulfilling and effective way to give back 🙂

I really dig this.

 

[rxlea]

Doctors Without Borders

 

[owlegrad]

Awesome thread. 👍

I will follow along with the posters who talk about volunteering time rather than money. Yeah, money is great - but who really knows where it ends up? Plus I just don't get much of a feeling of satisfaction from donation money, so I doubt I will be the type who donates much money. Time on the other hand - you get to see the immediate effects of your effort, as well as know for sure that you are making a difference. Much more gratifying.

Volunteering at a clinic sounds like a great idea though. I am really excited about a medical mission trip I am going on over spring break - I will let you know how that goes. One of my preceptors goes every year, he really ends giving back in this way. So that is another thing to think about. Here is the website of the particular organization that is setting up my trip (there are plenty of others such organizations as well): http://www.mvi.org/

 

[owlegrad]

Doctors Without Borders

Darn, I wish I had that kind of brevity! My entire post summed up in three words! 😛

 

[pharm B]

Doctors Without Borders

I like this idea in concept, but I think you'd be way more hands-on in a local community than you would be if you went with DWB. It sounds like pharmacists still play a vital role, but it's much more along the lines of admin stuff with some counseling and "where can we put this so it won't spoil" thrown in.

MSF pharmacists are responsible for managing the orders, supply, inventory, and distribution of drugs and medical supplies to MSF-supported clinics and hospitals. They will supervise staff who distribute the drugs and may work with patient referral centers on how to order and store MSF-supplied medicines. They may be asked to evaluate the availability and quality of drugs being considered for local purchase.
In addition, pharmacists must consider how to store medicines in conditions that may be limited and archaic by Western standards, work with government officials on supply chain issues, and communicate one-on-one with patients who need treatment.

It sounds to me like a good pharmacy manager would pretty much be what they wanted.

They also want you to have a 9-12 month availability. If I were single and didn't have family to think about, I'd probably sign up for sure. 🙂

Edit: reflecting, it appears that you would play a pretty important role as a pharmacist with MSF. You're not getting hands on as much because there are people trained to do that doing that.

 

[rxlea]

My future wife wants to do it so we would do it together (her as an MD, me as an RPh). And I plan on volunteering in free clinics where I can use my spanish skills and (future) knowledge of how to work with indigenous people and those living in rural areas. It is one of the reasons I am in the rural health program

 

[Farmacist2011]

I donate to Susan G. Komen to contribute to their CEO's multi 6 figure salary and to help their legal department sue other charities who use the word "Cure" in their name.

 

[pharm B]

I donate to Susan G. Komen to contribute to their CEO's multi 6 figure salary and to help their legal department sue other charities who use the word "Cure" in their name.

Yeah, that was a pretty big bummer to read about. Another beneficial part of doing things on a local basis is you have a pretty good idea of where money is going. If you're participating in a free health clinic that only exists in your city, the odds are that you're not also part of a group suing people over such nonsense.

 

[lauradiddle]

I already volunteer my time for the local Humane Society, and I'd like to continue to do that. They do a lot of auctions and things for fundraising that are a little out of my price range now though, but it's something I'd love to participate in once I make more money.

I also would like to donate to organizations that help keep music and arts programs in schools.

 

[veyep]

I've always felt like if I had the salary I'd like to give something back to my community. I volunteer, but I've never given monetarily. I figure with a PharmD salary, I can afford to start doing a bit of giving at some point after graduation.

Have any of you thought about donations in your future? Which groups would you donate to, if you could?

I'm pretty sure I'd donate mostly to the Salvation Army. I'd also like to establish a scholarship through the local community college for graduates of their science programs who dream of going to professional school. And I probably should send some cash to the local public radio station. I figure I owe them, after all these years...😀

you can donate to my non profit organization😉

 

[Electrode]

Doctors Without Borders

+1 vote for reply/concept of the month. May I request the permission to save & use that as a potential title or base line for a future presentation/speech of mine? rxlea?

But yea, money donations are good (better than nada), for those of us with little to no time to spare due to select circumstances. But if you can, spending your quality free time donating your services/skills to your local community (doctor or not) is ....golden! You what they say; "charity begins at home".

 

[sweetasianpear]

You can donate time and or money to local clinics that serve the indigent population in your practice area. I do some volunteer work for the clinics near my hometown. We have doctors, dentists, and other practitioners come to the clinic and diagnose the patients. And the pharmacy is staff by volunteer pharmacists and students. They are always in need of drugs. We almost always run out of HCTZ, prinivil, metformin. It's sad that people who came at the tail end of clinic hours have to find another way to get their life saving meds.

 

[pharmschooler]

You can donate time and or money to local clinics that serve the indigent population in your practice area. I do some volunteer work for the clinics near my hometown. We have doctors, dentists, and other practitioners come to the clinic and diagnose the patients. And the pharmacy is staff by volunteer pharmacists and students. They are always in need of drugs. We almost always run out of HCTZ, prinivil, metformin. It's sad that people who came at the tail end of clinic hours have to find another way to get their life saving meds.

Heck, do we volunteer at the same free clinic? I think those are our most popular meds, too! 🙄

It's actually just the best. I love volunteering there. We have set hours for refills and people know they have to come within that timeframe. Though the drugs are cheap/free, we expect patients to accord us the same respect we show them, by showing up for appointments and coming on time. It works out really well. I think by setting (small) expectations, people rise to meet them.👍