What do you absolutely love about being a pharmacist?

[npage148]

The money is probability the best part, ok way to make 60/hour

Honestly. Id be much happier with a m-f 9-5 schedule. I miss a lot of stuff working till 9 and everyother weekend but I do get my alone time during week days off

I don't like to counsel a lot because most people couldn't give a crap about what you are telling them even if they asked for your advice. But I do like helping people that truely appreciate it. A lot of people taking care of their elderly parents love when you help them out with their meds. Just little things too long telling what stuff is for

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[zelman]

The money is probability the best part, ok way to make 60/hour...

I prefer to think of it as $1/minute. It makes every waste of time 5 minute phone call seem more tolerable.

 

[ali110884]

The money is probability the best part, ok way to make 60/hour

Honestly. Id be much happier with a m-f 9-5 schedule. I miss a lot of stuff working till 9 and everyother weekend but I do get my alone time during week days off

I don't like to counsel a lot because most people couldn't give a crap about what you are telling them even if they asked for your advice. But I do like helping people that truely appreciate it. A lot of people taking care of their elderly parents love when you help them out with their meds. Just little things too long telling what stuff is for

Where are you from? How long have you been a pharmacist? Is there an option for to switch your schedule up?

 

[sakigt]

Pros: Working in healthcare with the RNs, docs and patients. Getting paid well. Being able to work PT and make a "FT" pay. Being able to pick up shifts when I want. My skills being transferrable...

Cons: My evening only hours suck, but it is what it is. Holidays, weekends, I work. My student loans piss me off as well.

 

[PharmDstudent]

I don't really love anything about pharmacy itself right now. Maybe my coworkers. Things will improve soon though.

I've actually been conducting an experiment to figure out how much I should work, specifically how many hours is too little and how many hours is too much to work per week, and now that I've found the sweet spot (an extra 12 hours per week over 40 hours), all I have to do is maintain it. I'm tired without being too tired, and I have a sustainable increase in income. Basically, in increments of 8 hours, an extra 16 hours per week is sustainable while an extra 24 hours is not with a baseline of 36 hours per week.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

being 24 and already made $120k, of course uncle sam took a lot of that away.

 

[ali110884]

being 24 and already made $120k, of course uncle sam took a lot of that away.

So were you able to find a job really quick?

 

[ali110884]

I don't really love anything about pharmacy itself right now. Maybe my coworkers. Things will improve soon though.

I've actually been conducting an experiment to figure out how much I should work, specifically how many hours is too little and how many hours is too much to work per week, and now that I've found the sweet spot (an extra 12 hours per week over 40 hours), all I have to do is maintain it. I'm tired without being too tired, and I have a sustainable increase in income. Basically, in increments of 8 hours, an extra 16 hours per week is sustainable while an extra 20 hours is not with a baseline of 36 hours per week.

How did you come to be a pharmacist in the beginning? Were you ever excited about it?

 

[PharmDstudent]

How did you come to be a pharmacist in the beginning? Were you ever excited about it?

I was a premed working as a pharmacy tech. Eventually I chose pharmacy over medicine.

I used to be excited, but now that I'm having to adjust to a new kind of status quo that's for my own good, my level of excitement has faded. I feel like I've gotten past everything that it takes to be able to get from point A to point B and now I just have to trust the autopilot to do its thing to get me to point B. I have two set schedules with set days off, no overnights, and no on call. I have a financial plan as well. *yawns out of boredom* hehe

 

[confettiflyer]

1) I'm in the healthcare field with no "direct" patient contact
2) I get the most off the wall, random things thrown at me...and it's great. I love the variety, it's something new and exciting every time I walk into work.
3) The compensation coupled with working 40hrs a week without taking home any work on the clinical side
4) Low physical requirement of the job ensures that I'll continue to be able to work despite injuries that would sideline most nurses, physicians, and other "hands on" HCP's. My biggest worry would be a repetitive stress injury or back problems (manageable/preventable)
5) Free industry dinners! CE dinners with food! Okay, maybe not as nice as physicians, but we're doing pretty well.
6) Occasional conference travel paid for by work

 

[type b pharmD]

For some reason I thought you were a VA person. You must have made a career change?

I worked for a payor for a bit, but honestly I couldn't handle sitting all day, meeting after meeting after meeting, and the office politics. Going back to retail, I've just about doubled my pay and realized why I chose pharmacy in the first place, which was to avoid an office and have a high energy job

 

[mustang sally]

I worked for a payor for a bit, but honestly I couldn't handle sitting all day, meeting after meeting after meeting, and the office politics. Going back to retail, I've just about doubled my pay and realized why I chose pharmacy in the first place, which was to avoid an office and have a high energy job

My mistake. I must be thinking of some other poster on here. But congrats on finding a job that's a good fit for you!

 

[deleted390966]

Yup, life is good when you are debt free.

How did you manage to graduate debt-free?

 

[ali110884]

How did you manage to graduate debt-free?

Good question. I'm curious to know as well....

 

[DruggieDoRight]

1) I'm in the healthcare field with no "direct" patient contact
2) I get the most off the wall, random things thrown at me...and it's great. I love the variety, it's something new and exciting every time I walk into work.
3) The compensation coupled with working 40hrs a week without taking home any work on the clinical side
4) Low physical requirement of the job ensures that I'll continue to be able to work despite injuries that would sideline most nurses, physicians, and other "hands on" HCP's. My biggest worry would be a repetitive stress injury or back problems (manageable/preventable)
5) Free industry dinners! CE dinners with food! Okay, maybe not as nice as physicians, but we're doing pretty well.
6) Occasional conference travel paid for by work

What do you do if you don't mind me asking?

 

[BMBiology]

How did you manage to graduate debt-free?

I didn't. I graduated at the right time, worked hard and paid it off ASAP.

 

[confettiflyer]

What do you do if you don't mind me asking?

Pretty much clinical float, I kind of do everything (ranging from centralized sterile products to working in one of the ICU's). Very rarely am I in an outpatient clinic or oncology. I'm never in ED or peds, though.

One of these days I'll settle into a regular day shift/single setting routine, but I like random.

 

[ashleylh]

Not only that, but PA schools require lots of clinical hours. So you'd be looking at becoming a medical assistant/EMT/scribe on top of your pre-reqs and bachelor's if you're considering taking that route. Dental hygiene is a good profession too and is only a bachelors or associates degree.

 

[bobanderson214]

The paycheck.

 

[ali110884]

Welp guys......After weeks & weeks of reaching my pharmacy career isn't looking too bright. Time to start seriously looking at other careers

 

[deleted390966]

.

 

[ali110884]

Your Pharmacy career? But you aren't even a pharmacist yet

Lol you're right. I guess I should have said "possible pharmacy career. "