Retail, Hospital, Industry, or Own Business?

[Coati]

New to the forum, any and all feedback appreciated.

Who here either works in currently, or has experience in the following: Retail, Hospital, Industry, or Own Business?

Pros, Cons, experiences in each?

Thanks!

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[RXDOC1986]

The Pharmacy Profession:

Pros: above average pay, respected profession, variety in employment settings,

Cons: longer education cycle, expensive schooling, pay rate, disrespected profession, lack of mobility interstate, availability of jobs, burnout

I am not getting into the good old days, trying to be current. feel free to add to this!

I have personally experienced most of the above Pros and Cons to different degrees.
Bottom line - MANY, MANY better options for a career out there.

 

[Coati]

The Pharmacy Profession:

Pros: above average pay, respected profession, variety in employment settings,

Cons: longer education cycle, expensive schooling, pay rate, disrespected profession, lack of mobility interstate, availability of jobs, burnout

I am not getting into the good old days, trying to be current. feel free to add to this!

I have personally experienced most of the above Pros and Cons to different degrees.
Bottom line - MANY, MANY better options for a career out there.

Seems like a lot of us here are not happy with the current state of the profession...

Thanks for the feedback

 

[RXDOC1986]

Seems like a lot of us here are not happy with the current state of the profession...

Thanks for the feedback

I have been a pharmacist for over 36 years. This profession has provided me with a VERY comfortable lifestyle. I have lived and enjoyed and profited from the golden age of pharmacy. My feedback is relative to the current state of the profession. It's a statement of fact. If any college student in 2022 chooses to go to Pharmacy school, I seriously question their judgment and intellect.

 

[Coati]

I have been a pharmacist for over 36 years. This profession has provided me with a VERY comfortable lifestyle. I have lived and enjoyed and profited from the golden age of pharmacy. My feedback is relative to the current state of the profession. It's a statement of fact. If any college student in 2022 chooses to go to Pharmacy school, I seriously question their judgment and intellect.

Ouch...lol

Where do you see the profession going in 5-10 years?

 

[WorthlessOxygen]

Ouch...lol

Where do you see the profession going in 5-10 years?

 

[Abby Atwood]

I’ve worked in an ambulatory clinic. I’m now working in a hospital. The actual work of both jobs was fun and rewarding. My current job is also a great environment with great people. I think people who frequent this forum have an misleading impression of current affairs in pharmacy. There are some amazing people who have been posting on here long term, and then there are people like me who posted prolifically during my job hunt and then left shortly after I found a job. When many new grads are all looking for a job against a lot of competition prior to even having a pharmacist license, the pharmacy job market seems desperately saturated. In reality there is an unmet need for pharmacists (take this with a grain of salt. I’m speaking with experience only in the region I’m working in). Obviously my past experience helped when I applied for my current position, but I also didn’t have a lot of competition for my current position and that helped even more.

 

[RXDOC1986]

Ouch...lol

Where do you see the profession going in 5-10 years?

In 5-10 years, there will still be just as many retail and hospital jobs. There will be rewarding and challenging jobs out there. BUT there will be many more applicants than there are jobs. The pay scale will be going down. There will be many pharmacists, maybe you included, changing professions or just quitting pharmacy. On a positive note, I will be retired in 5 years, making one additional hospital job open up.

 

[RXDOC1986]

I’ve worked in an ambulatory clinic. I’m now working in a hospital. The actual work of both jobs was fun and rewarding. My current job is also a great environment with great people. I think people who frequent this forum have an misleading impression of current affairs in pharmacy. There are some amazing people who have been posting on here long term, and then there are people like me who posted prolifically during my job hunt and then left shortly after I found a job. When many new grads are all looking for a job against a lot of competition prior to even having a pharmacist license, the pharmacy job market seems desperately saturated. In reality there is an unmet need for pharmacists (take this with a grain of salt. I’m speaking with experience only in the region I’m working in). Obviously my past experience helped when I applied for my current position, but I also didn’t have a lot of competition for my current position and that helped even more.

I am happy you are doing well, with a rewarding job. I also work in a hospital, enjoy my job, and make very good money. I think the OP wants to know about the overall state of the profession, not how well the two of us are doing. Hence, the doom and gloom on this board.

 

[Abby Atwood]

I am happy you are doing well, with a rewarding job. I also work in a hospital, enjoy my job, and make very good money. I think the OP wants to know about the overall state of the profession, not how well the two of us are doing. Hence, the doom and gloom on this board.

Oddly, I think my post was much too influenced by the general discussion on the state of the profession as a whole. I think this forum is overly pessimistic about job prospects in pharmacy as well as being overly pessimistic about the availability of jobs in areas other than retail pharmacy. In my experience there is wide availability of pharmacist positions is a variety of practice settings. There is significant unmet need in some cities and/or states.

The original question was a request for personal experience in different areas of pharmacy practice. I did try and touch on that a bit in my post although this entire thread is side tracked.

 

[Coati]

I’ve worked in an ambulatory clinic. I’m now working in a hospital. The actual work of both jobs was fun and rewarding. My current job is also a great environment with great people. I think people who frequent this forum have an misleading impression of current affairs in pharmacy. There are some amazing people who have been posting on here long term, and then there are people like me who posted prolifically during my job hunt and then left shortly after I found a job. When many new grads are all looking for a job against a lot of competition prior to even having a pharmacist license, the pharmacy job market seems desperately saturated. In reality there is an unmet need for pharmacists (take this with a grain of salt. I’m speaking with experience only in the region I’m working in). Obviously my past experience helped when I applied for my current position, but I also didn’t have a lot of competition for my current position and that helped even more.

Thank you for the response

 

[Coati]

I appreciate all of the input