Hey all, I am a recent new grad that accepted a RPh job with a retail company that I have been with for the past 7 years. My rotations opened my eyes to other oppourtunities but I accepted a deal with said company because they offer me a job first. I have been floating from store to store for the past two months and I have had more bad experiences that positive ones. I know I haven't given it enough time but I have started looking for jobs in the inpatient setting. I believe that I can get a job in a teaching hospital which would be in the inpatient setting. My question is for those who have worked both inpatient and retail. What was your experience with both fields? If you had to pick one all over again what would it be and why? The reason why I am asking is because I do not know if the grass is greener on the other side and I wanted to get a better feel of the inpatient sector before I seriously consider it. Also if anyone is an outpatient hospital pharmacist it be great if you can PM me the details of your job because in all actuality I believe that that job is the best fit for me but those jobs are few and far between where I live (mid-west). All help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Help with Current Dilemna....
- Thread starter TLaw8860
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I wouldn't say I can't handle retail I can handle it just fine. I've been with the company for 7 years so I know what I was getting into when I accepted the job. If I didn't think I could I wouldn't have accepted the job. All I was asking for was that if anyone has been in that situation or has known anyone in that situation and what they have done.
I personally am debating the same thing. I am good in a retail setting and some days I actually like it, but then the very next day I can go home ready to quit. I can't tell you what it's like on "the other side" but I don't think I'v ever heard about a pharmacist who regretted leaving retail (though you will probably take a pay cut to do it).
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I felt the same as SCIENCE until I left for hospital. I was really good at retail but it wore me out and yes I took a pay cut, but not very big. The quality of life more than makes up for the difference.
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I greatly enjoy working both. My advice, whichever job you take, see if you can do PRN work at the other job, so you will always have a leg in the door. Unfortunately, in today's climate, its difficult to jump from retail to hospital or hospital to retail, if one only has experience in one (although certainly not impossible!)
Speaking in generalities, since every individual job is different (and the tone is often set by the manager/director)...
hospital: considerably less pay, but considerably more vacation time. More working of holidays & having to cover other shifts if someone is sick. More likely to have a set schedule (ie all first shift, all second shift, etc.) Most of the time, there is no personal knowledge of the difference you've made in someone's life (recovered people will send candy & flowers to the nurses to thank them, pharmacy never.) More likely to see unique things and use a broader range of your pharmacy knowledge. Co-workers more likely to be gossipy, department wars, and the politics if one gets into management can be unbearable. Often a lot of on-call, and even unofficial on-call. MUCH more sitting (good if you are already in bad shape and have problems standing, problematic if you are already in good shape as it can lead to health problems from being too inactive.) Food....could be good or bad, depending on the individual hospitals cafeteria. More impressive to potential dating partners to say you work for ABC Hospital than to say you work for ABC chain/independent pharmacy. Electricity goes out, generators kick on, and you have to keep working.
retail: considerably more pay, but less vacation time. Much easier to get a particular day off & to have holidays off, but schedule much more variable. Generally a bigger PRN pool, so you are less likely to have to cover sick calls at the last minute. Gratifying to see first-hand the difference you can make in someone's life, especially in knowing that a specific solution proposed by you, really helped with their problem when they come back to thank you in person. MUCH easier to get decent parking. Have to deal with the public, an experience which people who have never done so won't understand. Pretty much NO on-call, when you leave work, you are done and your time is your own. MUCH less gossip & politics between co-workers (probably due to the public always hovering around and if you work for a chain, the higher-ups working a distance away.) MUCH more on your feet (good for you health if you are in good shape, problematic and possibly impossible if you are not in good shape.) Food....could be good or bad depending on the restaurants that are in that delivery area. Electricity goes out, probably no generators, and you won't have to do any work (just hope its time for the next shift before it comes back on!)
Speaking in generalities, since every individual job is different (and the tone is often set by the manager/director)...
hospital: considerably less pay, but considerably more vacation time. More working of holidays & having to cover other shifts if someone is sick. More likely to have a set schedule (ie all first shift, all second shift, etc.) Most of the time, there is no personal knowledge of the difference you've made in someone's life (recovered people will send candy & flowers to the nurses to thank them, pharmacy never.) More likely to see unique things and use a broader range of your pharmacy knowledge. Co-workers more likely to be gossipy, department wars, and the politics if one gets into management can be unbearable. Often a lot of on-call, and even unofficial on-call. MUCH more sitting (good if you are already in bad shape and have problems standing, problematic if you are already in good shape as it can lead to health problems from being too inactive.) Food....could be good or bad, depending on the individual hospitals cafeteria. More impressive to potential dating partners to say you work for ABC Hospital than to say you work for ABC chain/independent pharmacy. Electricity goes out, generators kick on, and you have to keep working.
retail: considerably more pay, but less vacation time. Much easier to get a particular day off & to have holidays off, but schedule much more variable. Generally a bigger PRN pool, so you are less likely to have to cover sick calls at the last minute. Gratifying to see first-hand the difference you can make in someone's life, especially in knowing that a specific solution proposed by you, really helped with their problem when they come back to thank you in person. MUCH easier to get decent parking. Have to deal with the public, an experience which people who have never done so won't understand. Pretty much NO on-call, when you leave work, you are done and your time is your own. MUCH less gossip & politics between co-workers (probably due to the public always hovering around and if you work for a chain, the higher-ups working a distance away.) MUCH more on your feet (good for you health if you are in good shape, problematic and possibly impossible if you are not in good shape.) Food....could be good or bad depending on the restaurants that are in that delivery area. Electricity goes out, probably no generators, and you won't have to do any work (just hope its time for the next shift before it comes back on!)
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i worked as a director for a small hospital soon after I graduated - It was for a management company. At our company's national meeting there were 12 of us at one table, all 32 or younger - 9 of us intially worked retail and quit within 1-2 years. I quit after 6 months - and took a job in hospital pharmacy. It wasn't I couldn't handle it, I did great, but I felt like a hamster spinning his wheels and I didn't want to do that for the next 30 years.
