What do YOU love about Pharmacy?

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thecoolpharmboi

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Pharmacy is an interesting field. As I research about it more, the more I find myself to liking it and I can actually picture myself as a pharmacist. But I would like to know your reasons, if not personal. Why do you love pharmacy? Or what made you want to be a pharmacist?

Your answers are greatly appreciated.

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If you are interested in what pharmacy entails, try volunteering or working in a pharmacy dept. This can ultimately solidify your desire to pursue pharmacy.

Also, please use the search function because a lot of these threads exist.
 
for me its a way to help people. i like knowing that the drugs i dispense or the dose i calculate can save lives. also its a field that is always changing so there is something new to learn.
 
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I like being a part of saving lives. I like interacting with patients and I like working in a field in which I am constantly challenged and constantly learning new things.
 
"Easy" money.

Nah, just kidding. Or am I? Most people who are honest with you will say this reason.

I'm more into drug design and finding new cures.
 
Money is a nice bonus.
To see people get better and acts as a health navigator for the patients.
 
Hm, maybe I'll catch a bit of flak, but...

My position is what you might call 'benign mercenarism'. Yes, the fact that a career in pharmacy means good pay and relative job security is very attractive. But the way I figure - there are lots of ways to chase the dollar in today's world. Most of them seem to create very little real value for people. If I can make a good living (doing something that really can make people's lives better), wouldn't that be better than doing something that doesn't benefit others?

Plus, I have the feeling pharmacists are going to be in a key position to help rein in ballooning health care costs, if a way can be found to use their ubiquity to help promote following healthy living guidelines. Ah, but maybe it's just wishful thinking.
 
That's the way to put it these days, seeing as some doctors don't know the eff about drugs and prescribe them the wrong or obsolete drug.
 
Yep and you can put a partial blame on the push towards eRx as well
Actually, in my area, eRx has been a boon so far. Compared to written Rx's, eRx's have been spot-on, and we've rarely had to confirm about any issues with the doctors. It's not perfect, but my experience with eRx's have been good so far.
 
Actually, in my area, eRx has been a boon so far. Compared to written Rx's, eRx's have been spot-on, and we've rarely had to confirm about any issues with the doctors. It's not perfect, but my experience with eRx's have been good so far.

It depends on the office/hospital using them. We've had some that have been okay, but we've had a lot of that have been down right terrible. Plus the initial formats that the eRxs were using were just TERRIBLE. One of them had 3 places to put a sig if you can believe that lol

They're not a needed item though, especially when you consider the cost involved.
 
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It depends on the office/hospital using them. We've had some that have been okay, but we've had a lot of that have been down right terrible. Plus the initial formats that the eRxs were using were just TERRIBLE. One of them had 3 places to put a sig if you can believe that lol

They're not a needed item though, especially when you consider the cost involved.
3 places? That's ridiculous!

In the long term, the cost will be a non-issue. It will be integrated to gain optimal efficiency without much cost. The only thing stopping it is corporate offices/boards of directors being cheap.
 
3 places? That's ridiculous!

In the long term, the cost will be a non-issue. It will be integrated to gain optimal efficiency without much cost. The only thing stopping it is corporate offices/boards of directors being cheap.
Oh yes, and of course there would always be 3 different sigs in those 3 spots lol

If the hospitals absorbed the costs, that would be fine. Instead they decide to push part of it on the pharmacies. The main hospital in the city informed us about a year ago that on 1/1/11 they will move to solely eRx prescribing and that if we want to do business with them we have to be fully complient with eRx.

So we now have to update all of the computers in the company, purchase a whole new Rx software package (ours is in house) all at once. Granted, corp should have been on the ball, but it still blows.

Then there is the cost of actually transmitting and recieving a Rx. Most places charge a pharmacy about $.50 per prescription. If there's an error and you have to send it back... well theres another $.50. And then another $.50 to recieve it back.

When you're making sometimes barely over a dollar on a script, that very quickly eats up what little margin you already have. All for a service which is really not needed. We have far far more problem with eRx based scripts than with hand written ones (namely with picking wrong drugs or incorrect directions).

I have yet to see the benefit yet personally.
 
Oh yes, and of course there would always be 3 different sigs in those 3 spots lol

If the hospitals absorbed the costs, that would be fine. Instead they decide to push part of it on the pharmacies. The main hospital in the city informed us about a year ago that on 1/1/11 they will move to solely eRx prescribing and that if we want to do business with them we have to be fully complient with eRx.

So we now have to update all of the computers in the company, purchase a whole new Rx software package (ours is in house) all at once. Granted, corp should have been on the ball, but it still blows.

Then there is the cost of actually transmitting and recieving a Rx. Most places charge a pharmacy about $.50 per prescription. If there's an error and you have to send it back... well theres another $.50. And then another $.50 to recieve it back.

When you're making sometimes barely over a dollar on a script, that very quickly eats up what little margin you already have. All for a service which is really not needed. We have far far more problem with eRx based scripts than with hand written ones (namely with picking wrong drugs or incorrect directions).

I have yet to see the benefit yet personally.
Hmm... weird... didn't know they charge for that... they don't mention cost to us because I guess it's not a big deal. I'll have to ask my pharmacists about that.
 
Hmm... weird... didn't know they charge for that... they don't mention cost to us because I guess it's not a big deal. I'll have to ask my pharmacists about that.

The majority of them charge the pharmacies. The even better part is wholesalers are now getting their hands into it and pushing pharmacies to use THEIR eRx provider.

They've found this new cashcow and everyone wants a part of it. It'll be funny when the udders start chafing and everyone is screwed. The eRx system, as it is now, will not last.
 
I haven't worked retail in about 5 years- wtf is eRX? And sorry if this is a hijack but I really don't know what it is.
 
$$$ and chicks
lol jk
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If you are interested in what pharmacy entails, try volunteering or working in a pharmacy dept. This can ultimately solidify your desire to pursue pharmacy.

Also, please use the search function because a lot of these threads exist.

I was curious on why you are interested in pharmacy, not how it is interesting. I already know what search means, thanks.
 
I was curious on why you are interested in pharmacy, not how it is interesting. I already know what search means, thanks.

I just like talking to patients day in and day out. Pharmacists, compared to MDs, Dentists, etc, can see their patients several times a week. Often you able to catch something that either would go unnoticed or would not be mentioned due to the relationships you develop.

I can go to the store and run into 2 or 3 patients that I know well enough that I can have a conversation with them.

I can cite more specific examples if you really wanted, but that is why I truly enjoy it.
 
There is always something new and exciting in pharmacy...it keeps you on your toes!

Medications are a very personal topic (while less personal than, say, a colonoscopy! haha) and I feel privileged to get to know patients' stories. I think pharmacists are in a unique position to have a real impact on a patients health!
 
The trust and loyalty you receive from your patients as well as the vast fields to choose from upon graduating. Pharmacy is no longer a contemporary profession of just "dispensing" but rather focusing on patient-centered care.
 
I love the patient interaction, and the look on peoples' faces when they realize how their physician, their trusted, honest physician, nearly killed them.
 
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It's better than dentistry, I can tell you that, azn.

Highest suicide rate among medical professionals is dentistry. I don't know why you'd want to stare at the myriad disgusting stuff on teeth and in mouths (almost) every day. I can see how that would cause high suicide rates.

*Dentist wakes up*
"If I see as much as one more tooth, I'm gonna off myself!!!"
*Looks in the mirror as he brushes his teeth*
"Son of a bit*h!!!"
*BOOM! HEADSHOT!*

I can see why you'd want to get the hell away from dentistry. Really, pharmacy blankets hundreds of career options, which is great. I want to be at a point where I can be in any particular branch of pharmacy and perform decently in each one I'm in.
 
Beside volunteer experiences before (that got me no where because i didn't get to touch medicines nor get to learn anything more than shredding papers), I actually love what I'm doing as a pharmacy technician extern now. I currently doing externship at CVS and it has only been the third day here and I have to witness how crazy and stressful the work flow is. Since I am new, I haven't deal with everything customers/patients related just yet. But so far from seeing what everyone was doing, it is sure stressful and crazy, but it is so rewarding. You get to interact with patients and give out meds that help them with whatever disease/sickness it may be. And I love the fun parts of being able to work fast to catch up with people who are waiting. I used to volunteer at my mom's dry cleaning shop for years so I got tons of customer service; and everything worked the same, minus the crazy and stressful work flow and the high technologies that I still yet to learn. I'm excited to absorb more things. My pharmacy manager is pretty good at training me. And so far so good (minus the standing all day long hehe.)
 
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I love the challenge and I love to think on my feet.
It's intelletually stimulating and it's a highly ranked profession.
Pharmacists are one of the most trusted people on Earth.
Biology + Math + Chemistry + People = :)
 
ShadowRX

jajaja so funny. But it is true, where I study there are tons of people who want to go the dentistry way. I just can't imagine myself looking inside the mouth everyday. Offcourse, there is also surgery in dentistry which I have seen (and suffer in impacted wisdom teeth), and it is very challenging, or maxilofacial surgeon...They also make a good amount of money.


If you want to be a pharmacist, you should love people, and talk on the phone, as well as being put on the spot for your knowledge now and then FOR FREE...

The truth is that if you choose a career in pharmacy you might be able to switch in the future to another branch of the profession. Let's say you are tired of retail (and tired of making money :D), then, you can go back to school and get a PhD and do research, in pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, or you can get you MBA and open pharmacies around. There are more possibilities...

Also, look for the job prospective, I read somewhere that there are a lot of dentists opening their own clinics, and the competition is fierce + insurance and stuff.

Good luck:thumbup:
 
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