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Maybe the NP/PA lobby will try to kill it... AMA is worthless!
Pharmacy and job security
Started by ccraft
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All I know is in the past they wrote a pretty demeaning and nasty letter (that was rescinded and revised) about pharmacists questioning rationale behind some scripts and calling offices and stuff like that. Then again most of my med school friends say the AMA tends to cater to specialists and throws primary care under the bus. I know the nursing lobby would probably not like it, and they're the biggest group out there. In my state to get a collaborative practice law put in the pharmacy practice act for my current state we had to go through and get approval from the nursing organization in order for it to pass... which included wording saying a pharmacist could work under the NP's prescriptive scope if the NP contracts with the pharmacist, but only of their supervising physician also agrees... which to me was nice wording to make them feel special since it's still basically a collaboration with a physician and working under a physician-approved scope (the NP is basically not autonomously able to enter into such a collaborative practice). I think they did that to win their approval as some gesture. Coincidentally they also do not have to pay certain taxes and fees imposed upon PAs, MDs, PharmDs, and other professionals and lobbied against having to pay them.
I don't think computers will ever replace any health professional.
In Wisconsin, it is perfectly legal for pharmacists to enter into collaborative practice agreements with physicians. The major issue is the pharmacy board has not issued instructions about the process. When the law was passed, at the same time a new controlled substance related bill passed. They have been busy with that and also, trying to put together pharmacy tech regulations. In Wisconsin, pharmacists are considered to be providers but it hasn't changed anything.
In Wisconsin, it is perfectly legal for pharmacists to enter into collaborative practice agreements with physicians. The major issue is the pharmacy board has not issued instructions about the process. When the law was passed, at the same time a new controlled substance related bill passed. They have been busy with that and also, trying to put together pharmacy tech regulations. In Wisconsin, pharmacists are considered to be providers but it hasn't changed anything.
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That's what the horses thought when they saw the first car. Check out the youtube video "humans need not apply". RPHs are the first to go because we actually provide no tangible value. Fixing other people's mistakes or looking things up is not tangible. Create a program that prevent individuals from making mistakes to begin with and you're out of a job.
dude it's all about money...it's not personal, it's just business.
Passion is a great reason to pick a hobby, but I agree, its a bad reason to pick a job.
Looking at the salary and job security is important when you decide what career to pursue; however, if that is not everything. You should think hard on what you want to do for the rest of your life: which setting you want to be involved in. Chasing money will make a miserable career. I have seen that from my friends who chose pharmacy just for job security/money.
Being from military background will give you so much advantage over someone withou it. I am currently working as a VA pharmacist, and I saw people getting hired over someone who is just as qualified for having a military background. That also applies for Dentistry, PA, nursing and medical as well. Therefore, if you plan to stay in the government system to be a practioner, you will have less stress looking for a job post graduation. They also offer 10 years public loan forgivenness.
As for the salary, PA and ICU nurses at VA hospitals can make almost as much as a pharmacist, and they actually do not spend as much time in school as we do, so that could be an option. I like being a pharmacist, since I would want a life outside of my job, and not having to be paged constantly. Clinical Pharmacist specialists at VA have the ability to see and manage patient's certain chronic disease stages (the ability to interview patient, change patient's medication therapy just like a provider can). If salary is a concern, I would go on usajobs.gov to see all the job listing to get a feel on how much certain professions make. Also having a government job also increases your job security tremendously, as long as you don't do anything extremely unprofessional.
Good luck with your career choice.
Being from military background will give you so much advantage over someone withou it. I am currently working as a VA pharmacist, and I saw people getting hired over someone who is just as qualified for having a military background. That also applies for Dentistry, PA, nursing and medical as well. Therefore, if you plan to stay in the government system to be a practioner, you will have less stress looking for a job post graduation. They also offer 10 years public loan forgivenness.
As for the salary, PA and ICU nurses at VA hospitals can make almost as much as a pharmacist, and they actually do not spend as much time in school as we do, so that could be an option. I like being a pharmacist, since I would want a life outside of my job, and not having to be paged constantly. Clinical Pharmacist specialists at VA have the ability to see and manage patient's certain chronic disease stages (the ability to interview patient, change patient's medication therapy just like a provider can). If salary is a concern, I would go on usajobs.gov to see all the job listing to get a feel on how much certain professions make. Also having a government job also increases your job security tremendously, as long as you don't do anything extremely unprofessional.
Good luck with your career choice.
Their salaries should be public, so a simple Google search should answer that.
No. They make more. There is a nurse here in Dallas who makes $200k.
Yup. Our salary is public knowledge, you can just google it.
At my VA, RNs start out in the low 80K and can go up to 160K for base salary depending on where they are working in the hospital/specialty. RPh at VA starts out 100K and gets maxed out at 130K.
At my VA, RNs start out in the low 80K and can go up to 160K for base salary depending on where they are working in the hospital/specialty. RPh at VA starts out 100K and gets maxed out at 130K.
What kind of training did you receive in your military background. Pharmacy is physically demanding (which I believe is why a lot of Rx's are not too happy), as are other PA specialties, as a male in shape (assuming) you may be able to also succeed in more demanding specialties, ie orthopedic surgery assistant, surgical assistant etc. I do believe of the 3, dentistry may have a slight edge b/c the tuition of dental is a barrier of entry to many. Also with lasik, technology and PRK will only get better.... I think if you've narrowed down to these 3 though, then it becomes a personal choice. I will say this though, a lot of our youth can't even get through chemII, so, this is a barrier of entry already to many, as is calculus, and I'm not even talking about orgo.
At the end of the day, I'd recommend if you can get accepted to a reputable program, in any field, and can generate references from professionals in that particular field, then you have your answer right there. Reputable schools will admit a certain number of students, who they can take care of. Hence their reputation. It's hard to say without more information, but to be honest, student doctor network is not the ideal place to base much of your decision on. In case you haven't noticed, there are way too many negative folks here. I'd also say that half the people on here will never matriculate into a graduate program, thusly, if you can finish and complete any of the 3, OD, PharmD, or DDS, then you will be fine.
Good luck and HOORAH!!!
At the end of the day, I'd recommend if you can get accepted to a reputable program, in any field, and can generate references from professionals in that particular field, then you have your answer right there. Reputable schools will admit a certain number of students, who they can take care of. Hence their reputation. It's hard to say without more information, but to be honest, student doctor network is not the ideal place to base much of your decision on. In case you haven't noticed, there are way too many negative folks here. I'd also say that half the people on here will never matriculate into a graduate program, thusly, if you can finish and complete any of the 3, OD, PharmD, or DDS, then you will be fine.
Good luck and HOORAH!!!
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Not entirely sure what you mean by half the people here not having matriculated into a graduate school. The majority of the people in this thread and generally for this subforum are either pharmacists or student pharmacists. Unless you don't consider pharmD a true graduate program. Obviously not the case for the pre-pharmacy subforum.
But I agree with the latter part, any of the degrees really will work out fine.
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To be fair, as you say, there may be many who are students or practicing Rxs. But there are tons of folks who are pre-pharm, pre med, pre what have you. Also tipping the scale are these individuals are the most energetic, and thus, probably put more posts. I have no proof that you are indeed a pharmacist, but in the event you are, I'll refrain from saing something inappropriate. I will conclude by saying, of course I'm right.
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