Job comparison

[alprazolamborghini]

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Help me to choose

A)

• huge hospital system ~800 beds, high tech in pharmacy (ex. robots)
• financially strong
• pretty country like- 2 hrs from major city
• primarily 1st shift with some mix of 2nd shift, $48 flat pay rate, no shift differential, gotta work every other holiday, ~25 pto days
• lots of opportunity to learn about different areas in pharmacy (NICU, ER, OR, etc)
  
  
• Pros: big hospital with lots of learning opportunity
• Cons: pay sucks, away from major city

b)

• Pretty small community hospital ~300 beds, kinda old building, traditional hospital pharmacy
• 15 mins from major city
• rotating shift between 1st and 2nd shift, $52 pay with 10% shift differential, work 2 holidays/yr, 30 pto days
  
  
• Pros: alright pay, proximity to city
• Cons: just like any other community hospital, less learning experience due to size of hospital and # departments hospital have

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

Help me to choose

A)

• huge hospital system ~800 beds, high tech in pharmacy (ex. robots)
• financially strong
• pretty country like- 2 hrs from major city
• primarily 1st shift with some mix of 2nd shift, $48 flat pay rate, no shift differential, gotta work every other holiday, ~25 pto days
• lots of opportunity to learn about different areas in pharmacy (NICU, ER, OR, etc)
  
  
• Pros: big hospital with lots of learning opportunity
• Cons: pay sucks, away from major city

b)

• Pretty small community hospital ~300 beds, kinda old building, traditional hospital pharmacy
• 15 mins from major city
• rotating shift between 1st and 2nd shift, $52 pay with 10% shift differential, work 2 holidays/yr, 30 pto days
  
  
• Pros: alright pay
• Cons: just like any other community hospital, less learning experience due to size of hospital and # departments hospital have

B. I would value quality of life more than anything else since hospital jobs are fairly stable. The combination of better pay and proximity to a major city would be major draws to me, like you pointed out.

Forget about learning/growth opportunities, unless you’re not looking to stay at one place forever—thus, I would prioritize geography over almost anything.

 

[alprazolamborghini]

B. I would value quality of life more than anything else since hospital jobs are fairly stable. The combination of better pay and proximity to a major city would be major draws to me, like you pointed out.

Forget about learning/growth opportunities, unless you’re not looking to stay at one place forever—thus, I would prioritize geography over almost anything.

thanks for ur input

 

[awval999]

B. Not close

 

[njac]

In my experience you’ll get to do more at the smaller hospital. It depends on the practice model. If the bigger hospital has specialists, they’ll be taking care of those patients.


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[gwarm01]

• Pros: big hospital with lots of learning opportunity
• Cons: pay sucks, away from major city

You may find that this pro loses it's luster in short order. Especially if the specialists are the elitist type who won't play nice.

Do you know what never gets old? Making more money and living where you want. Plus you may have more opportunities to take on new roles and initiatives in the smaller hospital.

 

[Saiyo]

#2 wins easily for me. You'll find things you don't like at every job. You might quickly find that job #1 doesn't have as much opportunity as advertised. Should take the higher pay and better location.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

I have a friend who is probably one of the best in the country in her specialization.
She has a Gucci dream job at the most top tier hospital in our region.
She did PGY1&2 at prestigious programs.

And she hates her job because she works with only the most elitist MDs that won't give her the time of day. Her job is essentially pointless.

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

I have a friend who is probably one of the best in the country in her specialization.
She has a Gucci dream job at the most top tier hospital in our region.
She did PGY1&2 at prestigious programs.

And she hates her job because she works with only the most elitist MDs that won't give her the time of day. Her job is essentially pointless.

This is further proof that pharmacy is a farce. Train at the best institutes all you want. Get 15 letters behind your name all you want. Obtain “provider status” all you want. But at the end of the day, you’re still not going to be recognized by those who really matter: the MDs.

 

[BC_89]

I have a friend who is probably one of the best in the country in her specialization.
She has a Gucci dream job at the most top tier hospital in our region.
She did PGY1&2 at prestigious programs.

And she hates her job because she works with only the most elitist MDs that won't give her the time of day. Her job is essentially pointless.

Ive been waiting for someone to post their own experiences with this (but someone knowing a friend that does is close enough for me). Definitely some good points to think about for anyone’s future self for years ahead.

 

[alprazolamborghini]

thanks for everyone's opinion

 

[njac]

I have a friend who is probably one of the best in the country in her specialization.
She has a Gucci dream job at the most top tier hospital in our region.
She did PGY1&2 at prestigious programs.

And she hates her job because she works with only the most elitist MDs that won't give her the time of day. Her job is essentially pointless.

I know that those facilities exist, but I’ve been fortunate enough not to experience it personally.


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[W19]

This is further proof that pharmacy is a farce. Train at the best institutes all you want. Get 15 letters behind your name all you want. Obtain “provider status” all you want. But at the end of the day, you’re still not going to be recognized by those who really matter: the MDs.

I have seen this sentiment here a lot and I am not sure why is that. I am doing a residency at a 1,000 beds hospital and the attendings I have worked with so far value your input. My co-residents (myself included) think you guys are very knowledgeable.

 

[gwarm01]

I have seen this sentiment here a lot and I am not sure why is that. I am doing a residency at a 1,000 beds hospital and the attendings I have worked with so far value your input. My co-residents (myself included) think you guys are very knowledgeable.

I've seen it go both ways. West coast hospitals have been more progressive and collaborative than east coast, but that could just be the places I worked.

 

[W19]

I've seen it go both ways. West coast hospitals have been more progressive and collaborative than east coast, but that could just be the places I worked.

Maybe it's hospital dependent. I am at a major academic center in the east coast and I have not heard any of the attendings or residents say anything remotely bad about pharmacists. On the contrary, when we have difficult questions about drugs, we are told to call the experts (aka pharmacists).

I was having issues with a complex order the other day after a long day of work, I went to the basement (I have no idea why all the hospital pharmacies I have been at are underground) and two pharmacists took their time to help me figure it out. I have received many calls from you guys asking me. "Are you sure you want to do that? 😛" And many of the time you guys are right... Interactions with pharmacists at my center and the VA have been very collegial.

 

[Pharmibippy]

I don't understand the need to be recognized by anyone. Do you expect the doctors you work with to praise you endlessly for your recommendations? I go to work, do my job and then go home. Stop worrying about what other people think of you and life gets a lot more enjoyable imo.

 

[beautifulrobot]

I don't understand the need to be recognized by anyone. Do you expect the doctors you work with to praise you endlessly for your recommendations? I go to work, do my job and then go home. Stop worrying about what other people think of you and life gets a lot more enjoyable imo.

Praise and recognition are two different things in my mind. Recognition means people recognize what you are capable of doing and how you can contribute. Not being recognized, in terms of the capabilities you possess, can interfere with your ability to do your job to the fullest extent. It could mean being denied opportunities to further the organization's mission, and to further develop yourself professionally. If those in charge don't even recognize that you're capable of doing certain functions, they won't consider you for certain positions and/or training opportunities.

Maybe it's hospital dependent. I am at a major academic center in the east coast and I have not heard any of the attendings or residents say anything remotely bad about pharmacists. On the contrary, when we have difficult questions about drugs, we are told to call the experts (aka pharmacists).

I was having issues with a complex order the other day after a long day of work, I went to the basement (I have no idea why all the hospital pharmacies I have been at are underground) and two pharmacists took their time to help me figure it out. I have received many calls from you guys asking me. "Are you sure you want to do that? 😛" And many of the time you guys are right... Interactions with pharmacists at my center and the VA have been very collegial.

The path to working in specialized clinical positions or "non-traditional" pharmacy positions often involves having to constantly explain, justify, and defend yourself to non-pharmacists (particularly MDs, but also the bean counters). Some hospitals are more used to having pharmacists in non-traditional roles (i.e. roles that don't directly involve the procurement, preparation, and dispensing of medications), but this is far from being common across the country.

 

[bacillus1]

That's pretty interesting - I guess my hospital just has good docs because they (seem) to value my input.

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But do they really value it as much as they value the input of other consultants (ID, cards, etc...)? My guess is no. I feel about as valued as if I were another intern, maybe resident at best, not the midlevel provider that I am. For example, the ID pharmacist and I had a big disagreement with the ID attending the other day...the data supported us, but it's the ID attending to whom they listened to at the end.

 

[ornithoptor]

A lot pharmacists are happy working in smaller community hospital. Usually, there are less stuck up people and less politics. PGY2 trained pharmacist is less high and mighty. You will have a lot of hands on experience and people usually are eager to train you to relieve them of their own burden in a good way. Your have to play nice for the most part. You may get to know doctors and nurses and form good relationships. However, the risk of merger and acquisition can be high, and job security can be a consideration if they currently runs too fat.

What do you see yourself in three, and ten years? What is your professional aspiration? Are you married or with someone? Money and location should not be the determining factors but your short and long term goals.