Recruiting firms and their voodoo magic

[WVUPharm2007]

Yeah.......so I got recruiters calling me every now and then telling me about industry jobs currently available in the greater Philly area. And I don't just mean one firm, either. Multiple firms. I have absolutely no idea HOW they know who I am, what my phone number is, what interests me, or that I'm moving to Philly in a year or so.... but...like....they f'n KNOW. It's kinda creeping me out. Maybe they have my phone tapped. I haven't personally sent a resume out to a recruiting firm and nobody outside of a handful of people know that I hate clinical pharmacy. Seriously, wtf? 😱 Big Pharma = Big Brother?

I also think I found something to tide me over until I get to move....12 hour shifts, work 0-7 days a week, my choice, and I get to set my own schedule as to which days I work...$56/hour (in WV).....kinda crappy, yet existent health benefits. The downside...it's a 2 hour drive from Morganhole. So I could work 2 days a week back to back and bring home $70k.

Yup. Mikey found him a job. Sucks I'm moving in a year. I could get used to a 5-day weekend. Oh well...

Also, I think SDN should have a "Status" that reflect what I am. I guess I can call myself a pharmacist, but I'm not currently practicing as one anywhere. I want mine to say "Status: Bum" or something similar.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Priapism321]

You need to suck it up and just do a fellowship in pharmacology man. These ID pharmacists are literally shaping the way hospitals dose antimicrobials by defining pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinets parameters (ie, Mike Rybak, David Nicolau, Tom Lodise, Marc Scheetz, Russ Lewis, look these guys up). This field is only going to grow in the next decade, and they all publish regularly with high profile ID physicians (like the best known in the country, although at this point some of these guys don't even require it).

BTW, what do you think of all the safety issues with varenicline? I wouldn't recommend the drug to anyone for the next 5 years, though I don't recommend any drug that is less than 3 years old to anyone that I know in the interest of safety.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

I don't recommend any drug that is less than 3 years old to anyone that I know in the interest of safety.

Really? I see where you're coming from; just not a position I thought I'd ever hear someone specializing in hem/onco/stem cell take. Intriguing...that's a gutsy call.

 

[Priapism321]

Really? I see where you're coming from; just not a position I thought I'd ever hear someone specializing in hem/onco/stem cell take. Intriguing...that's a gutsy call.

Well, we could start splitting hairs here I guess. When I say that, I guess I do not mean people that are regarded as imminently facing death. I become more lenient when there is a promising therapy and a patient whose life expectancy is numbered in months.

Now, drugs like varenicline, aliskiren, etc., etc., the benefit portion of the ratio just does not add up.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

You need to suck it up and just do a fellowship in pharmacology man.

I'm probably going to the conference in Louisville come October, actually. Too many of people have encouraged me to go, I figure what the hell...an excuse to leave town if nothing else.

These ID pharmacists are literally shaping the way hospitals dose antimicrobials by defining pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinets parameters (ie, Mike Rybak, David Nicolau, Tom Lodise, Marc Scheetz, Russ Lewis, look these guys up). This field is only going to grow in the next decade, and they all publish regularly with high profile ID physicians (like the best known in the country, although at this point some of these guys don't even require it).

I've actually noticed. One of the preceptors I was with was trying to do away with Vanc dosing because she thought it was useless. She cited a bunch of ASHP studies performed by pharmacists. She made a rather striking case.

BTW, what do you think of all the safety issues with varenicline? I wouldn't recommend the drug to anyone for the next 5 years, though I don't recommend any drug that is less than 3 years old to anyone that I know in the interest of safety.

I agree with the anti-new drug sentiment. At least for people I know. Sadly, a large population of people somewhere has to take the stuff before we know what's what.

I've been reading heavily into cannabinoids and the PPAR system lately. Outside of the crazy and miles-over-my-head stuff they are developing for oncology, it's BY FAR the most interesting thing going on in the pipeline right now (to me, anyway.) I haven't read into the pharmacology of the nicotinic-addiction pathway in a long *** while. So...uh...I have no uber educated opinion...I guess. Just what I hear here and there. But what do you expect? You are going to continually innervate nicotinic receptors. A ton more NorEpi floating around at all hours of the day. Beta1 --> arrythmias? Beta3-->diabetes dysregulation? None of the "newer" concerns really shocks me from a pharmacological standpoint. Though I could be wrong and maybe Chantix does something crazy I haven't read about. But....you know....at least actual chain smokers get a nice 8 hour break while they sleep from their brain making their CV system go haywire.

I'd like to compare it to the safety profile of actual full-on nicotine receptor agonists like the patches. (Has this sort of comparative trial been done? I haven't read any of the actual Chantix safety studies released of late..?) It makes me wonder if its just a manifestation of pharmacodynamic "overdosage". I wonder if the night tremors people experience occur in a high correlation with the other pathophysiological symptoms (i.e. arrhythmia, DM stuff, seizures, etc.). Because if the drug is just a partial agonist than having a higher incidence of CV effects versus the full on nicotine patches makes no sense. Unless of course there is a secondary pharmacology they haven't accounted for. Which I wouldn't discount. It took them 3 years of trials with the cannabinoid reverse agonists to stumble over their dicks and realize that they activate PPAR-alpha.

So what do I think? It's your typical "Oh, you mean doing something to a large human population that has never been done before might cause stuff you don't expect to happen? Gee, what a freakin' shock." type of situation. On the other hand....the stuff DOES work, doesn't it. I'd have to see the risk ratios to give an actual opinion on whether or not I think it's worth it. Plus I think the year-in efficacy of Wellbutrin is about the same, anyway. I'd just toss some of that at the cancer stick addicts for now. It would treat their depression from the Chantix, too. 😉

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Really? I see where you're coming from; just not a position I thought I'd ever hear someone specializing in hem/onco/stem cell take. Intriguing...that's a gutsy call.

Yeah....but that's an entirely different realm of benefit/risk. I'm going to go decrease my risk for diabetes right now. The basketball court calls.

 

[Priapism321]

So, have you seen this report (spearheaded by a pharmacist mind you)? http://www.ismp.org/docs/vareniclineStudy.asp

And, based on this report, the FAA banned pilots from taking the drug if they plan to fly....I think you are dead on about some of the pharmacologic consequences of a drug like this, and you are absolutely right, varenicline should be compared to other nicotine replacement options.

But my god, cardiac arryhthmias, suicide, etc. I don't know.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

Well, we could start splitting hairs here I guess. When I say that, I guess I do not mean people that are regarded as imminently facing death. I become more lenient when there is a promising therapy and a patient whose life expectancy is numbered in months.

Now, drugs like varenicline, aliskiren, etc., etc., the benefit portion of the ratio just does not add up.

Haha, just admit that I got you. 😛 No, I knew what you meant...there's obviously a big difference when we're talking long-term/prophylactic vs. terminal/acute treatment. It was just a pretty absolute statement coming from you...thought it would be fun to call you on it. 😉

 

[Priapism321]

Haha, just admit that I got you. 😛 No, I knew what you meant...there's obviously a big difference when we're talking long-term/prophylactic vs. terminal/acute treatment. It was just a pretty absolute statement coming from you...thought it would be fun to call you on it. 😉

You called me out, and indeed did get me, haha. I am happy to admit it.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

You called me out, and indeed did get me, haha. I am happy to admit it.

PGY1 all wrapped up? You getting a break?

 

[Priapism321]

PGY1 all wrapped up? You getting a break?

5 more weeks and counting. I get a three week break at that point, but have to take the boards to become licensed in Texas. It will still be relaxing compared to what I am doing now.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

5 more weeks and counting. I get a three week break at that point, but have to take the boards to become licensed in Texas. It will still be relaxing compared to what I am doing now.

That'll be no big deal...I'm sure it'll be a nice break. You should plan a trip somewhere!

 

[WVUPharm2007]

So basically the study is telling me it causes the same thing as seen in acute nicotine OD. Blurred vision, cardiac dysfunction, worsening diabetes. Except suicide and depression....that seems kinda weird. I'll have to dwell on that one....

So what I'd like to see:

Safety 24 hour nicotine patch v. Chantix. Emphasis on continuous nicotine treatment.

Plasma glutamate levels post-Chantix dose from first dose to steady state vs. Glutamate levels in nicotine patches over several days, average smokers, buproprion (for smoking cessation, specifically) users. Mostly to try to deduce the potential etiology of the seizures. I have a feeling that after non-stop innervation, glutamate builds up and may cause a seizure. That's just an off the cuff hypothesis based on nothing though.

Some sort of further risk benefit study...but that'd take a while....