New Pharmacist - Look Young For My Age

[Raither]

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I'm a recent graduate soon to be entering the world of retail. I've always received the comments from people thinking I'm still in high school, and the disbelief when I tell people I'm in my mid-20's. As an intern I just would always fall on the crutch that I'm still a student whenever patients or others would comment on my appearance and that would be the end of it... usually. However, now that I'm going to be THE pharmacist I'm having severe anxiety over how to get the respect and trust of my patients and staff. I would consider myself a very confident speaker, people person, well dressed/groomed, and professional. So there is no issue that I could just correct beside my young face (and lack of facial hair). Has any other pharmacist faced this issue? How did you deal with it?

 

[NejixRockS]

you are lucky! its better to look younger than you are 🙂 I work with a female pharmacist, she is in her late 20's, but god... she looks really young! We work in a hospital, which is a bit different from your case,but still... everyone respects her and treats her the same way as the other pharmacists. Dont worry! 😀

 

[Wheresmyaricept]

Just get used to saying "yes. I am the pharmacist" and move on. Younger females have this issue a lot because the elderly still expect their druggist to be a man.

 

[HouTX]

going the extra mile to earn their respect. when I first started, patients will come in looking for the old, figuratively and physically, pharmacist. a year later, they call or come in to see me. I was the 2nd rph to succeed the "old" pharmacist. the 1st rph never earned their respect

 

[WVUPharm2007]

There have been a bazillion pharmacists that have a faced this issue. I did when I first started. The people in the hospital assumed I was a tech or an intern. After a while though, people got used to me and it was fine. The same will happen wherever you go. I noticed no long term ageism. Now that I'm 31, I look about 24 or 25 so I'm in the "okay, that's plausible" realm of looking a certain age.

 

[Raither]

Thank you for the responses guys! Good to hear encouragement from fellow pharmacists.

 

[aglo123]

I'm a recent graduate soon to be entering the world of retail. I've always received the comments from people thinking I'm still in high school, and the disbelief when I tell people I'm in my mid-20's. As an intern I just would always fall on the crutch that I'm still a student whenever patients or others would comment on my appearance and that would be the end of it... usually. However, now that I'm going to be THE pharmacist I'm having severe anxiety over how to get the respect and trust of my patients and staff. I would consider myself a very confident speaker, people person, well dressed/groomed, and professional. So there is no issue that I could just correct beside my young face (and lack of facial hair). Has any other pharmacist faced this issue? How did you deal with it?

When I was hired as a tech for CVS I had to do training at another store. I walked in a little before opening and I asked the lady who was inside "aren't pharmacists supposed to be the ones to open the pharmacy?" She replied "I am the pharmacist." I was in total disbelief, she looked no older than a high school sophomore.

Anyways, the point is, it doesn't matter how old you look or feel, all that matters is how you project yourself. If you act immature, you will not be respected. However, if you show maturity and character, people will respect you regardless of age.

Besides, most people assume everyone who works in the pharmacy to be the pharmacist, they won't really know/care. As long as the purple pill is still purple I'd say it makes no difference to them.

 

[gwarm01]

Don't worry, the stress will age you so much in the next year that it won't be a problem anymore.

 

[D1CE K]

Men age like wine, women age like milk.

 

[Sparda29]

Men age like wine, women age like milk.

 

[IndustryPharmD]

Eh, and here I was moaning that I hardly ever get carded when ordering drinks anymore. To each his (or her) own, I suppose. 😀

For me, not being taken seriously was never an issue, even I when I was an intern and looked rather young. I suppose wearing glasses and being really tall helps in that regard.

 

[cdpiano27]

I work in the pharma industry and in my job the starting requirement for entry-level position is PhD (so entry level age is about 28-32) and slightly older for those international students who may have worked in their country for a few years before coming to US to study (around 30-32). I am in my early 30s, and had this problem too (as some people thought I was early 20s). So in my last job about 2 years ago, I grew a beard, but of course keep it well-trimmed and presentable. I ended up with a salary increase of 10% just two weeks after that! I guess maybe that was not the only reason, but still maybe it helped! I still have the beard today and look better with it than being clean-shaven actually. Now people think I am around 30 or so. So if you are male, maybe a solution to this problem!

 

[Ackj]

I imagine I was a shock to some patients when I first went to my store, because I was nearly 50 years younger than the retiring pharmacist I was replacing. The best thing to do is grow facial hair. Even if it takes you 3 months, keep at it and you'll look older. When I first started I was asked all the time about my age, 'are you the pharmacist?' etc. but after a little while, I could hide behind a beard.

 

[Raither]

The beard growth (or lack thereof) is another genetic curse. She is slowly coming in though. Will certainly help my cause once I can "hide behind a beard" as well!

 

[bwsalvas]

I had the same problem when I started at CVS at 24... was a little self conscious about it, influencing patients... techs... others rph's... I grew a beard for a few months. Fact is if you carry yourself with confidence people feel it and won't question you. In reality, being a 24y/o pharm.d. and running a store was pretty fun looking back on it- just be yourself.

My CAUTION would be to hold back on leveraging your youth to get work done- to influence your younger techs. You'll be more effective over time if you don't use your youth as a tool of influence because it will inevitability come to haunt you.

 

[CardinalGirl210]

I'm in the same boat as you - 26 but appear in my early 20s. Black female in a white/Hispanic population. As an intern, customers would look at my badge and then look over me and say I'd like to speak to the pharmacist haha I'm going to be floating - so I'm sure I'll have some fun stories to tell. I think the key is to stay professional. I'm going to be working with techs older than me and techs my age, so to get respect I need to maintain my professionalism and not joke around with them but still be friendly. I think everyone goes through this stage - we'll be ok!