Question from a student aspiring to become a pharmacist

[ksksks]

Hi, I am a undergraduate student who will be applying to pharmacy programs this coming year. I am trying to think of various scenarios where it becomes difficult for pharmacists to decide upon what to do (conflict situation) to further understand the problems with:

1) Fake prescriptions (From what I have experienced, most pharmacists just inform the police)
2) Communication problems with the Doctors (For example, when I volunteered and shadowed under a pharmacist, I could never recognize their writing. I know this is a crude example, but I am sure there are other types of problems)

3) Personal liabilities in consequence of mistake in giving out wrong dosages, etc

4) Pressure situations (For example, a rush of many individuals wanting their prescription to be filled quickly)

5) Other difficulties with the occupation that I failed to identify

If I COULD get an insight upon various problems and challenges of being a pharmacist, it would be greatly appreciated. I would like to thank you in advance for the thorough answer.

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[kbv]

How about:
1. apply to a pharmacy school-pharmacy program
2. get accepted
3. survive the program/be able to maintain min required GPA
4. apply for internship
5. graduate
6. pass the board
7. get licensed
8. apply for a pharmacist position
9. get hired

Then worry about the problems you posted.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

I've found it useful as a pre-pharm (and accepted! yay!) student to read various pharmacy blogs to get a sense of problems/issues pharmacists face. The Angry Pharmacist, The Angriest Pharmacist, The Drug Monkey, and The Pharmacy Chick are the main ones I read.

Probably too many, but it's good procrastination from writing my thesis for grad school. ;-)

 

[FarscapeGirl]

How about:
1. apply to a pharmacy school-pharmacy program
2. get accepted
3. survive the program/be able to maintain min required GPA
4. apply for internship
5. graduate
6. pass the board
7. get licensed
8. apply for a pharmacist position
9. get hired

Then worry about the problems you posted.

I don't know, but I think it's a good idea that this potential student is looking at these sorts of things. He/She said something about volunteering in a pharmacy, so they have some experience. It's often the day-to-day things about your job that make you not stand it, so it's a good idea to see what the problems are and think about whether or not you can deal with them. By the time you're in school, even, it's a bit late.

If I had thought more about the minutiae details of research and what a career in research means, I most likely wouldn't have gone to grad school and considered another career. I can't stand that research projects don't work most of the time, and you really have no idea why.

 

[kbv]

to answer the op:
1. the problems you posted are too general.
2. that's why you should shadow under a pharmacist, which you said you're doing now.
3. don't you realize that you already answer some of the problems yourself?
4. even practicing pharmacists encounter those "conflict situations", "difficulties" which are ongoing.
5. while working, ask the pharmacist a lot of questions. seriously, living is learning and applying; learn from people's and your experiences.

to the second op: don't you read a thread about Knowing all you know now, what career would you choose?
"It's often the day-to-day things about your job that make you not stand it, so it's a good idea to see what the problems are and think about whether or not you can deal with them": it's "choice"
"By the time you're in school, even, it's a bit late": it's never too late; even obstacles may render opportunities.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

to answer the op:
1. the problems you posted are too general.
2. that's why you should shadow under a pharmacist, which you said you're doing now.
3. don't you realize that you already answer some of the problems yourself?
4. even practicing pharmacists encounter those "conflict situations", "difficulties" which are ongoing.
5. while working, ask the pharmacist a lot of questions. seriously, living is learning and applying; learn from people's and your experiences.

to the second op: don't you read a thread about Knowing all you know now, what career would you choose?
"It's often the day-to-day things about your job that make you not stand it, so it's a good idea to see what the problems are and think about whether or not you can deal with them": it's "choice"
"By the time you're in school, even, it's a bit late": it's never too late; even obstacles may render opportunities.

I did read that thread; not sure quite why you brought it up.

I didn't mean that it's too late per se. It's just that it's better to get the answers to these sorts of questions before you're actually in pharmacy school. If you really want to be a retail pharmacist but hate standing on your feet all day, that may be a problem.

Oh, and not to be mean, but I'm not the second op. I believe "op" stands for original poster. So I'm just the second poster.

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

1) Fake prescriptions (From what I have experienced, most pharmacists just inform the police)

Use professional judgement

2) Communication problems with the Doctors (For example, when I volunteered and shadowed under a pharmacist, I could never recognize their writing. I know this is a crude example, but I am sure there are other types of problems)

Call for clarification

3) Personal liabilities in consequence of mistake in giving out wrong dosages, etc

In most cases if there is any legal action it is usually towards the corporation that one works for, but its good to have liability insurance just in case, and it's not expensive

4) Pressure situations (For example, a rush of many individuals wanting their prescription to be filled quickly)

This happens often in most settings. yes at times the pharmacist can be a stressful job

5) Other difficulties with the occupation that I failed to identify
Ever decreasing reibursement rates from state/private insurance programs, too many pharmacy schools, risk of saturation in the profession, little to no advocacy groups for the profession.... and the list goes on

 

[RobertRodrig1]

You should do internships and get experience. Then you should decide if you want to do pharmacy. Once you have done that, apply to pharmacy school and then see if you get in.

Take things one step at a time. First you have to become a pharmacist before you need to worry about these things.

 

[ksksks]

thanks for all the help I really appreciate it.

i only asked the following questions to get a rough idea of what other pharmacists thought of. The pharmacist that I have shadowed never went through these types of problems because we were in a quiet neighborhood. I am trying to get a diversified view of what challenges pharmacists go through.

To KBV - Thank you for your response. I think that any questions can be properly answered based upon your experience. I asked for any type of experience that you may have faced, not for a rhetorical question/comment. I am not a pharmacist, and don't you think it would be a waste of a LOT of time if I came across these situations myself later to "figure it out myself"? It's like someone saying, dont bother knowing anything in advance! I am sorry, but I was looking for a role model, not someone to throw down questions that might seem "useless".

If you feel bothered by my question, you did not have to answer it.
I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions and I hope you understand that.

If I could give you an advice as a potential patient, NO questions should be answered that way. Maybe in the future once I become a pharmacist, we could discuss the matter. But for now, I would like to talk to someone who can HELP me. Thanks.

 

[befree]

don't ever apply to pharmacy. You will be working to death if you're lucky to have a job. By the time you graduate from Farm School, you will be unemployed chronically because most of Farm jobs will be outsourced to India. More, robotics automation eliminates jobs and super surplus pharmacy schools will flood the market. Trust me you hear it from me first.

 

[Kirbypuff]

thanks for all the help I really appreciate it.

i only asked the following questions to get a rough idea of what other pharmacists thought of. The pharmacist that I have shadowed never went through these types of problems because we were in a quiet neighborhood. I am trying to get a diversified view of what challenges pharmacists go through.

To KBV - Thank you for your response. I think that any questions can be properly answered based upon your experience. I asked for any type of experience that you may have faced, not for a rhetorical question/comment. I am not a pharmacist, and don't you think it would be a waste of a LOT of time if I came across these situations myself later to "figure it out myself"? It's like someone saying, dont bother knowing anything in advance! I am sorry, but I was looking for a role model, not someone to throw down questions that might seem "useless".

If you feel bothered by my question, you did not have to answer it.
I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions and I hope you understand that.

If I could give you an advice as a potential patient, NO questions should be answered that way. Maybe in the future once I become a pharmacist, we could discuss the matter. But for now, I would like to talk to someone who can HELP me. Thanks.

LOL that's how I felt when kbv answered my thread too. I didn't bother to respond, but I'm glad you did.