Pharmacists willing to be interviewed

[EHSwildcat]

Hello! I'm currently a student in high school and I'm interested in going into the field of pharmacy. In my education and training class, we're currently doing a project over our desired career. A part of the project is interviewing someone with the job we're interested in.
If anyone who's a licensed pharmacist could help me out, that'd be wonderful! You don't have to be entirely detailed with your answer, just a few sentences will do.

When/How did you decide to become a pharmacist?
How was your experience in pharmacy school?
How have you worked your way up to the position you are at now?
What was the most challenging obstacle you had to overcome?
If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
What does a normal day at work look like for you?
Do you enjoy being a pharmacist?
What are some drawbacks to this job?
Benefits/Advantages?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful would you rate your job?

Thank you so much in advance!

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[Rukn]

Don't go for pharmacy

You don't want to potentially ruin your life

 

[mentos]

Don't go for pharmacy

You don't want to potentially ruin your life

I agree. I graduated in 2014 and often regret my decision. I'm lucky to have a job right now but working conditions are bad. Pharmacy has gone downhill since 2008 and it will only get worse. People are having a hard time getting a job now, imagine how many more students will graduate in 6 years from now... crazy. Schools jack up tuition by 10% every year for no reason. You will drown in debt.

 

[Rukn]

I agree. I graduated in 2014 and often regret my decision. I'm lucky to have a job right now but working conditions are bad. Pharmacy has gone downhill since 2008 and it will only get worse. People are having a hard time getting a job now, imagine how many more students will graduate in 6 years from now... crazy. Schools jack up tuition by 10% every year for no reason. You will drown in debt.

I gradated last year in 2015 and I'm in a similar situation

Getting a 40 hour per week job with benefits in a decent area as a new pharmacist is extremely difficult

And the jobs you will be getting will likely be chain retail where you are expendable and will be floating all over the place without a stable schedule and have to fight to get your hours. Some months are scarce with available shifts as I've learned and you have people competing for them.

Right now it's not worth it in my eyes and I'm starting to regret going into this.

But I will respond to this thread

When/How did you decide to become a pharmacist?

Pretty much during my last couple of years of high school.

My parents initially suggested it and I thought it was a pretty good deal. 6-8 years of studying and you make 6 figures coming out. Also the job didn't seem that difficult from the outside. There were still talks about a "shortage" back then.

I even consulted a pharmacist I knew and he said it is a good career and he never mentioned anything about saturation.

How was your experience in pharmacy school?

Pharmacy school is rigorous. A lot of material and not much time to absorb it and master it. You are constantly being tested and examined. The content is not that difficult to understand or comprehend, there is just a lot of it. But essentially we were being trained for a "clinical" job that is not really there. I haven't used much of what I've learned. Plus it isn't easy to manage school life, your internship (you will need to work at a pharmacy to accumulate intern how in order to sit for the licensing exams). I had some pointless rotations as well where I was used as free labor.


How have you worked your way up to the position you are at now?

I guess I'm still at an entry level position, but I graduated last year.

What was the most challenging obstacle you had to overcome?

Figuring out how to deal with people and manage your time and maintain an efficient workflow. In retail you are not given much and expected to do a lot in little time.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

Lol there is not just one thing I would change.

What does a normal day at work look like for you?

Get in there and start pumping out prescriptions. Try my best to deal with whatever problems I encounter. I'm a floater pharmacist currently and I can only do so much for the shift I am there for.

Do you enjoy being a pharmacist?

Some days, yes. Even though it's not really an enjoyable job you can really help someone. That's the only real redeeming part of this job. But floating kind of sucks that part out of it because you can make a recommendation or counsel someone and you will never get a chance to follow up with the patient to see if what you did for them actually helped.



What are some drawbacks to this job?
Benefits/Advantages?

Pay is decent. Benefits can be good. If you have good staff that can be cool. If you are floating you don't have to deal with any long term issues. Time goes by pretty quickly in retail because you are always busy. And there is always that chance to help someone.

Cons are really too many to list in retail.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful would you rate your job?

Overall around an 8. Some days can be 10+ and some days can be 5 or lower. I've never had a truly easy day. There is always something that comes up.

However I won't be staying at the chain retail job that I currently have for too much longer. Just until I find something else. I don't agree with how things are done and I don't like the way things are heading. I don't want to end up doing like 400 scripts on my own with just 1 tech in a 12 hour shift. They just cut more help, pile up more work for you to do, and give you almost no time to do it. I don't want to verify at the speed of light and just run through the DUR just to avoid being backed up.

 

[EHSwildcat]

I gradated last year in 2015 and I'm in a similar situation

Thank you for replying to my thread and answering my questions! Of course, now I'm starting to question my career path once again, haha. Pharmacy was the only job I ever really considered seriously. I'm currently a sophomore student and barely just decided that I wanted to be a pharmacist a year or two ago. As I told all the adults in my life, from teachers to counselors to my parents, they all said it was a great career choice to be interested in, saying things such as a good pay, etc. I've noticed the job outlook of pharmacists has gone down and tried not to think too much of it, as I was constantly reassured that it was a stable profession and not to worry too much about it. But from every other source I've read or heard from, it is definitely something I should be worrying about. Hopefully, I'll be able to find another profession that also suits my interests with the same benefits pharmacists have had.

Thanks again for letting me interview you! You really helped with my school project, as well as with my future decisions.

 

[Corpseman]

as I was constantly reassured that it was a stable profession and not to worry too much about it.

By who? People within the profession?

 

[mentos]

Thank you for replying to my thread and answering my questions! Of course, now I'm starting to question my career path once again, haha. Pharmacy was the only job I ever really considered seriously. I'm currently a sophomore student and barely just decided that I wanted to be a pharmacist a year or two ago. As I told all the adults in my life, from teachers to counselors to my parents, they all said it was a great career choice to be interested in, saying things such as a good pay, etc. I've noticed the job outlook of pharmacists has gone down and tried not to think too much of it, as I was constantly reassured that it was a stable profession and not to worry too much about it. But from every other source I've read or heard from, it is definitely something I should be worrying about. Hopefully, I'll be able to find another profession that also suits my interests with the same benefits pharmacists have had.

Thanks again for letting me interview you! You really helped with my school project, as well as with my future decisions.

The general public still thinks pharmacy is a great career choice with lots of growth, lots of jobs, low stress, good pay, etc. They see a pharmacy on every corner of their town and think "Oh there are lots of pharmacies everywhere so that means lots of jobs". They are talking out of their ass, as they do not work in a pharmacy. They are living in the past and telling you things they heard from pharmacists years ago. They are unaware that schools have popped up like daisies and working conditions have gotten much worse. 4 years ago, my state had 3 pharmacy schools. Next year it will have 5. In the past year alone, CVS bought Target & Omnicare, and Walgreens bought Rite Aid. I expect CVS-Greens to form soon and hope that I will get to keep my job when it happens.

 

[Caffeine QAM]

The general public still thinks pharmacy is a great career choice with lots of growth, lots of jobs, low stress, good pay, etc. They see a pharmacy on every corner of their town and think "Oh there are lots of pharmacies everywhere so that means lots of jobs". They are talking out of their ass, as they do not work in a pharmacy. They are living in the past and telling you things they heard from pharmacists years ago. They are unaware that schools have popped up like daisies and working conditions have gotten much worse. 4 years ago, my state had 3 pharmacy schools. Next year it will have 5. In the past year alone, CVS bought Target & Omnicare, and Walgreens bought Rite Aid. I expect CVS-Greens to form soon and hope that I will get to keep my job when it happens.

I agree. People are behind the times. Many people think pharmacy is easy money. Stand behind a counter and check prescriptions to make sure they are correct, make 100k+. It's a misleading perception, unfortunately.

 

[fcrc]

>I was good in chemistry in high school and wanted to make a good salary right away but didn't want to be in a field that's comprised mostly of men (I ruled out engineering). Also, like many pharmacists, I don't like touching people at length so being a BSN/APN/PA/MD is out of the question for me.

>Pharmacy school was good enough. You will learn nothing but pharmacy though and will never have to opportunity to read, write, and converse the way liberal arts students do. Also, there unfortunately was not enough of an emphasis on finance (all clinical), which is actually crucial in practice.

>I worked as much as I could as a cashier then intern at a chain and never said, "No." I took and passed my exams earlier than any of the other interns in my district. I work at an independent now (greener pastures) but for retail chains, the hours you clock in and how quickly you do what you're told (get licensed ASAP) are more important than your personality, in my opinion--they just want a Yes man.

>Working in a retail chain is brutal physically. I often didn't eat or pee for 14 hours straight. HR alleges that you're allowed a 30 minute break, but then your boss literally yells at you for not filling a waiter within 15 minutes if there's someone there. At the independent I work now, I get a real 30 minute break where I don't even have to clock out, pharmacist overlap, and a much healthier body.

>I would like insurance companies/pharmacy benefit managers to stop making everything so difficult for physicians, patients, and pharmacies alike.

>Fill prescriptions, call insurance companies, maintain excellent customer service, manage inventory, direct technicians and cashiers, etc.

>I do like being a pharmacist. The profession is almost as old as medicine itself and I know what I'm doing does impact people's quality of life. Pharmacists will always be needed. I'd love to be a physician who sits at an office and just makes decisions all day, but I couldn't deal with all the touching.

>In the independent where I work, I have very few complaints--I love it! When I worked at a retail chain, I wasn't as proud to be a pharmacist. I felt like a McDonald's cashier trying to calm people down at the drive-thru.

>Benefits: There are always jobs if you work hard, maintain good relationships, and are able to adjust to changes in healthcare. Cons: A lot of the jobs are with retail chains that will treat you like you are disposable and you will never feel fully respected for your knowledge and professionalism.

>At my former retail chain: 10; incredibly stressful, constant anxiety, made to feel like subhuman. At my current independent: 3.

In conclusion, be a pharmacist if you really are interested in medicine but don't have the time or money to do medicine. If you can handle human contact and have enough money, just be a physician. If I could start over again, I'd probably just work in finance to be honest...far greater potential to make way more money.

 

[JakeSill]

>

If I could start over again, I'd probably just work in finance to be honest...far greater potential to make way more money.

Just wondering, how is finance a greater potential to make way more money?

 

[farmadiazepine]

When/How did you decide to become a pharmacist?
-9th grade took a pharmacology class, it was awesome. Teacher said pharmacists work 3 days a week and make $90,000 a year. This was 2001.

How was your experience in pharmacy school?
-Easy. If you are smart (if you graduate HS with a 3.8 GPA for example), pharmacy school is a breeze.

How have you worked your way up to the position you are at now?
-Networking. I did the opposite and took a job that pays half of what I used to make.

What was the most challenging obstacle you had to overcome?
-Working with other people. It's still an obstacle.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
-The entire job. Otherwise, if that's not a good answer, reimbursement for medications.

What does a normal day at work look like for you?
-Work 4pm to 12:30am just checking orders and looking at drugs in the basement of a hospital. There are no windows in the place. It's absolutely mind numbing.

Do you enjoy being a pharmacist?
-It depends on the day, but most days no.

What are some drawbacks to this job?
-Working for other people. CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and big hospital chains are the main employers. Otherwise you have to be an entrepreneur.

Benefits/Advantages?
-Good pay, however, it looks like that is very slowly changing.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful would you rate your job?
-It depends on the day. Most days it would be 1. Sometimes it gets to 10. This job, especially retail or hospital, you will deal on both ends of the scale.

 

[fcrc]

Just wondering, how is finance a greater potential to make way more money?

Investment bankers I know only had to get a bachelor's degree from a prestigious school--and of course have excellent connections--to make upwards of $200k/year at their respective firms; they're barely 27. It is by no means easy to get a job as an investment banker at a successful firm though--you'll have to work your ass off, be a mathematical whiz without coming off as a nerd, and be able to fit in with or get along with the male-dominated Wall Street culture. Or even if you just start out as an analyst making $60k/year, you can really work your way up to over $200k in a decade or so...almost impossible in pharmacy.

 

[wagrxm2000]

When/How did you decide to become a pharmacist?

Senior year of high school, a relative of mine is a pharmacist.

How was your experience in pharmacy school?

Pretty easy, nowadays seems much harder. Studied day before exams.

How have you worked your way up to the position you are at now?

Staff pharmacists for a few years then moved up to rxm.

What was the most challenging obstacle you had to overcome?

Living in an area that was not ideal for me the first few years. I now live near by my store in the perfect city for my family.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

I'd love to have control of the whole store. I think it's coming, the store manager position is pointless.

What does a normal day at work look like for you?

Eat, answer phone calls, check scripts, counsel, eat some more then call it a day.

Do you enjoy being a pharmacist?

I love it.

What are some drawbacks to this job?

Only draw back is weekends.

Benefits/Advantages?

Pay, having control over my pharmacy, and getting to interact with my patients.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful would you rate your job?

Zero stress

 

[cj98]

Lol, reading all the comments, this is going to turn into a cynical project/report to turn in...maybe interview another profession?

When/How did you decide to become a pharmacist?
-I was 20 years old, in college and everyone in my social circle was applying to grad school. I didn't want to apply to med/dental/optometry school and didn't want to take a year off after graduating so I decided to try pharmacy school. Honestly, this was a mistake and the wrong way to go about deciding your future.

How was your experience in pharmacy school?
-Not as hard as people make it seem. The material isn't hard, it's just a lot of memorization. Lots of my classmates were focused on studying, but don't realize that working after school is even more helpful than studying. I focused on working two jobs throughout school which helped me understand therapeutics, dosing, and how to talk to doctors/patients. Plus I got to meet more pharmacists along the way who are able to serve as references.

How have you worked your way up to the position you are at now?
-I am currently a Walmart staff pharmacist. I was a pharmacy intern at another chain during school. It gave me a little more experience in retail so I didn't have to end up at CVS.

What was the most challenging obstacle you had to overcome?
-At my current job, dealing with corporate is the most challenging. Corporate will expect you to do more and more each year with less resources. You deal with people everyday that have no idea how a pharmacy runs, which can get very frustrating. Also when someone brings in a script that is clearly incorrect, and you have go to through being transferred from medical assistant to medical assistant who have no idea what you're talking about, sending faxes, leaving voicemails, just to get something clarified/changed.

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
-Somedays I wish I didn't have to deal with the general public haha.

What does a normal day at work look like for you?
-Clock in, fill as much as you can before the pharmacy opens, verify, counsel, verify, counsel, verify, verify, go home.

Do you enjoy being a pharmacist?
-For me, retail is kind of boring and mind-numbing..probably because I don't have the right personality for it. I finally ended up getting a new job with the state, so hopefully a better fit for me.

What are some drawbacks to this job?
-Rude customers, corporate pressures, an unhappy staff that doesn't care, techs who think showing up for work is optional, the fact that you'll end up with anxiety issues if you stay in retail for 20+years.

Benefits/Advantages?
-Pay is decent and some days you feel like you make a difference.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful would you rate your job?
-Busy retail store: about a 7, slower retail store: 3

 

[rph3664]

Investment bankers I know only had to get a bachelor's degree from a prestigious school--and of course have excellent connections--to make upwards of $200k/year at their respective firms; they're barely 27. It is by no means easy to get a job as an investment banker at a successful firm though--you'll have to work your ass off, be a mathematical whiz without coming off as a nerd, and be able to fit in with or get along with the male-dominated Wall Street culture. Or even if you just start out as an analyst making $60k/year, you can really work your way up to over $200k in a decade or so...almost impossible in pharmacy.

And there are a multitude of reasons why there are very few of them over the age of 35 or thereabouts.