Pharmacy a recession proof career.......

Started by Pharmcdc
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Pharmcdc

Pharmcdc

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I found it interesting that MSN highlighted a career as a pharmacist as being a "recession proof" career. I am not an individual who feels the "need" to be called Dr. John Do, although I am passionate about the respect and perception of our profession. It would be nice for the general public to know what is required to become a pharmacist and the abilities acquired through education, training and experience. This subject has to be one of the most popular, so I wont get on a soap box, except to say that if you read the following article, notice how it reads that entry level is the pharmd (most people don’t know what that means) and if you read the part about becoming a lawyer, it is spelled out the years needed, and the degree earned "Juris Doctor” not simply JD or attorney. Furthermore, most people know what it takes to become a lawyer but yet the writer feels the need to explain. How many people outside of the profession (I have even had pharmacist ask me how long I had been in school and how much longer😱) know what a pharmd is and the schooling required to obtain said degree. Well, anyway read it if you like. I just found it "interesting". http://spotlight.encarta.msn.com/Fe..._article_RecessionProofCareers.html?GT1=27001
 
It looks like the author didn't do his pharmacy school homework. We all know that pharmacists have to attend pharmacy school to earn a Doctorate of Pharmacy, even though a bachelors of pharmacy degree used to be sufficient.

Also, it gets kind of hairy when people talk about how long it takes to finish pharmacy school, because it's more like three or four years of pharmacy school after two to four years of undergraduate classes. So it can take a minimum of five years, but it usually takes six to eight years to finish.
 
^^^
Oh, and I don't want any of you smarties telling me that pharmacists can practice with a bachelors of pharmacy degree. We all know this already.

My point is just to say that we can't earn a bachelors of pharmacy in the US anymore.
 
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It seems like you guys are just looking for something to get angry about. I'll agree that many people have a simplistic perception about pharmacy, but I don't think that the author here is guilty of this at all. He's written a very brief sentence or two about the education required for pharmacists, and while he's not worshiping our hard work, I don't see how he's misrepresenting anything or diminishing our hard efforts in school.

Also, I didn't see where he said you could practice with a bachelor's degree.
 
Pharmcdc.....Do you reallly go to a school called the University of the Incarnate Word? I thought it was a joke but I looked it up and it seems to be real. Sorry for getting off topic I was just curious......
 
JWells488 said:
It seems like you guys are just looking for something to get angry about. I'll agree that many people have a simplistic perception about pharmacy, but I don't think that the author here is guilty of this at all. He's written a very brief sentence or two about the education required for pharmacists, and while he's not worshiping our hard work, I don't see how he's misrepresenting anything or diminishing our hard efforts in school.

Also, I didn't see where he said you could practice with a bachelor's degree.
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*The author oversimplified the education that's necessary, because it's confusing to outsiders.

You missed my point. Oh well. It happens.
 
PharmDstudent said:
My point is just to say that we can't earn a bachelors of pharmacy in the US anymore.
Click to expand...

Didn't miss it. But, like you said, the education required for a pharmacist is "hairy". Unlike other professions with more rigid education standards that require 4 years of undergrad and a doctorate all the time, like the JD, there are a lot of RPhs practicing without a doctorate. Sure - the author could have gone into a lot more detail and explained all the scenarios for becoming a RPh and he certainly would have been respected more on this board, but my point is that going that far in depth might have been out of the scope of the article.
 
Education for entry: Pharmacists must earn a Pharm.D. from an accredited college or pharmacy school. In order to practice, they must become licensed by passing the American Pharmacist Licensure Exam.


What is everyone talking about?
 
Requiem said:
Education for entry: Pharmacists must earn a Pharm.D. from an accredited college or pharmacy school. In order to practice, they must become licensed by passing the American Pharmacist Licensure Exam.


What is everyone talking about?
Click to expand...

LOL! The world revolves around the southern half of North America apparently 🙄.
 
I only have one word.....WOW. Yes, mountain I do attend The University of the Incarnate Word, and have loved every moment of it. I posted this article because as I stated, I found it interesting. I did not think that it would spawn such strong feelings. I dont believe the writer of the article was maliscious in any way, but my point was how pharmacy is so unclear to people outside of the profession from what a pharmacist does, to the education required. This was not about being "worshiped"; or to attack the writer; nor was it to get angry about anything.

I often come in contact with people who know very little about pharmacy and from reading posts here, many of you do as well. I saw this article not offensive in anyway, it was an opportunity to at least explain to readers very simply what a pharmd is, and the education required.................after all, that was done under the part about lawyers. Im not angry, sorry if you any of you are. Im sure this thread will die in another day or so and we can forget about it. I will end my comment by again saying.................wow😳
 
zohaibab said:
LOL! The world revolves around the southern half of North America apparently 🙄.
Click to expand...

My point exactly. Probably 80%(purely conjecture, I think its a higher %) of the US does not know what "pharmd" means. I bet some US healthcare workers dont know. Again, I saw this as a missed opportunity, the entry could have read:
education: minimum 2 years of undergraduate prerequisites, and 4 years of pharmacy school to obtain a doctor of pharmacy degree (pharmd) This is not asking too much. This would have educated a reader who may not have known what a pharmd is, or what it takes to aquire one. simple. I am not asking to be worshiped, has nothing at all to do with me period. Sorry to disappoint some of you, but most people dont read SDN pharmacy forums, and dont have time to waist on trivial things obviously like I do.🙄 Lighten up guys, this forum is for information, fun, and discussions. I can easily talk about this and any other topic on this forum with a smile on my face, no anger here!😎
 
A local grocery chain here in Phoenix recently laid off 15 pharmacists. It can and does happen. It is a sign of the economy. They did land jobs right away at WAGS and CVS
 
blueclassring said:
A local grocery chain here in Phoenix recently laid off 15 pharmacists. It can and does happen. It is a sign of the economy. They did land jobs right away at WAGS and CVS
Click to expand...

Grocery chains are much more in tune with the economy, as the bulk of sales are non-pharmacy related. And it's not really important, but I think I know which chain you're talking about.
 
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MountainPharmD said:
Pharmcdc.....Do you reallly go to a school called the University of the Incarnate Word? I thought it was a joke but I looked it up and it seems to be real. Sorry for getting off topic I was just curious......
Click to expand...

hahaha I thought that same thing. Especially where it said Feik School of Pharmacy where I thought 'Feik" was a clever way of writing 'Fake'
 
MountainPharmD said:
Yeah, I thought that too.....When I first read it I also misread word as world....I thought it was a joke....You know the Fake School of the Incarnate World....
Click to expand...

I never heard of the school until I saw this article. I wanted to tell the prof, yes the shortage is over because so many private schools "diploma mills" opened up, including yours!
 
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