should i take the job or go for residency?

[lorain]

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I was planning to go back to do residency (finished business degree, worked retail) so that I could have the experience to go with my 2 degrees. I now have a offer from a pbm for a day job as a rph, even though I have no pbm experience they said they would train me. With terms to residency, I was thinking managed care since my couple interviews with general residencies have gone sour (them hung up over how much knowledge ive lost, frowning on retail going back, etc; and the MC people appreciate the business degree more (understandably)), but I have not had any interview yet with any of my preferred choices.

So simple:

take the job

advantage: have a job in a saturated market ( pharm schools in town)

disadvantage: lack of relevant experience, they told me they would train me but I would need to be up to a certain standard by a certain time. My concern is that they arent happy and let me go, leaving me empty handed as Id pass on the residencies for this coming year and would have to wait till 2012 to do one. this job also requires to be on call after work hours for client questions 👎thumbdown

do the residency
advantage: i learn the relevant stuff, worth around 1-3 yrs of work experience
disadvantage: job market sucks, havent heard back from any preferred place yet, no guarantee i match

So simple question, which one? is 1 yr of residency advantageous over 1.5 yrs of this pbm job when it comes to future management jobs in this industry?

money isnt a primary issue as I have no debt, my friends telling me to stick it out and do the residency as planned (and thats how Im leaning). not sure 🙁

 

[PharmaTope]

i say take the real job.

i feel you can learn more by not doing residency. REAL WORK experience is a huge plus. in residency you end up doing projects and other things they can throw at you because you are cheap labor.

Human Resources at hospitals only consider residency as 1 yr of experience (contrary to what others tell you). maybe the pharmacy department "VALUES" it at more than 1 year, but when it comes to hiring people it is still 1 year of experience.

i say go with the real job. residency will come to an end after one year and you will again be looking for a job with more unknowns. at least your real job can give you benefits, tuition pay for other degrees and certs. you can build yourself up fast that way.

if the company is willing to train you, they like you. just work hard and get past your probationary period and you are set. they wont just fire you like you think after that. i say go with the sure bet here.

 

[Dalteparin]

TAKE THE JOB.

In this economy, it is extremely unwise to pass up a sure thing for a maybe.

 

[PharmDstudent]

I would take the job and study on my own part-time. Touch up on guidelines and read the APhA book. Eventually you'll get back "what you've lost" and be up to date.

 

[TC714]

I would definitely take the job...Period.

 

[PANCFLRPH]

Agree... the JOB👍

 

[KARM12]

What are your goals for the future? Do you want to work as hospital mangement? PBM may not qualify you for that. If you want to work for a PBM, go for it.

 

[lorain]

What are your goals for the future? Do you want to work as hospital mangement? PBM may not qualify you for that. If you want to work for a PBM, go for it.

hospital mgmt was my initial goal....but after seeing how many hospitals are closing and how many just arent hiring and the politics, Im not really going for that anymore

in the end, i just want a position that has some administrative side to it


Im not opposed to doing a residency, in fact I have mentally already prepared myself for the work involved....its just the current job market that scares me

and as far as Im concerned, a general prac. residency is out the question unless i go for an unmatched site, i had another interview today and again got pummeled for being a retail guy going back...oh well

so my dilemma is this:

my degrees +1 yr residency, what are the chances after that I find my goal job
my degrees + 1.5 yrs pbm work experience, what are the chances after that I find my goal job (the advantage with this scenario is that I would still have this job as a fallback if I cant find the opportunity to jump up)

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

my degrees +1 yr residency, what are the chances after that I find my goal job
my degrees + 1.5 yrs pbm work experience, what are the chances after that I find my goal job (the advantage with this scenario is that I would still have this job as a fallback if I cant find the opportunity to jump up)

Maybe you will end up loving the PBM experience and see opportunities for advancement. I really enjoy the pharmacist's role at a PBM. A great mix of clinical and managerial.